The first two games of the series saw some surprising firsts by both teams. The Padres bullpen gave up a two-run lead after the eighth in consecutive games for the first time since 1995. Not to be outdone, the Metropolitans of New York overcame a two run lead after the eighth inning in consecutive games for the first time since 1965.

But the Padres bullpen righted itself, holding on to win the next two to earn the series split. Below is a game-by-game recap of the series against the Mets in Queens, New York.

August 8^th, 2011 Mets 9, Padres 8

WP Jason Isringhausen (3-2) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

LP Heath Bell (2-4) 0.1IP 4H 3R 3ER 0BB 1K 0HR

The Padres offense kept on rolling into New York, scoring at least seven runs for the fourth straight game, aiming for their fifth straight win.

Jesus Guzman got the Padres started with a RBI single in the top of the first, scoring Cam Maybin from second. Maybin hit a two-out infield single to shortstop and then stole second base to get in scoring position.

Tim Stauffer had a rough go early in the game, having given up solo home runs to start each of the first two innings to Angel Pagan (5) and Jason Bay (9). Stauffer gave up only a single to lead off the third, but then surrendered a two run homer to the next batter David Wright (9) to put the Mets up 4-1.

It wasn’t until the sixth inning that the bats that were evident in Pittsburgh showed up for San Diego.

A single by Jason Bartlett followed by a double by Maybin (16) set the table for another RBI opportunity for Jesus Guzman. Guzman lifted a soft line drive to right field to advance both runners, scoring Bartlett. Maybin then came in on a sac fly from Orlando Hudson, cutting the lead to one run.

Kyle Blanks then launched a deep fly ball over the head of centerfielder Pagan in the left-center gap, scoring both base runners for a two-run double (3).

Two innings later, Hudson drew a walk and then Blanks was hit by a pitch to start the inning. On a sacrifice bunt by Logan Forsythe, Blanks and Hudson each advanced a base. Luis Martinez hit a ground ball to left field, scoring Hudson.

Blake Tekotte struck out before Will Venable walked to load the bases with two out. Jason Bartlett then cleared the bases, scoring all three runners before getting thrown out at third to end the inning with the Padres up 8-4.

Bud Black then brought in Chad Qualls to pitch the eighth. He struck out Wright to start the inning before giving up a single to Lucas Duda. After walking Jason Bay, Qualls gave up a run scoring double to pinch-hitter Mike Baxter. Ronny Paulino then would hit a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Jason Bay to score and cut the Padres lead in half.

With a two-run lead, Heath Bell came in for the save opportunity. He gave up a leadoff single to Jason Pridie. Pagan then struck out swinging on a curveball in the dirt that allowed Pridie to advance to second base.

Justin Turner then singled to put runners at the corners. David Wright then scored Pridie with a base-hit up the middle. Both runners advanced on another wild pitch by Bell, putting the tying and winning runs in scoring position. Bell gave up another grounder up the middle, allowing both runners to score and the Mets to win, 9-8.

August 9^th, 2011 Mets 5, Padres 4

WP D.J. Carrasco (1-2) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 1K 0HR

LP Chad Qualls (5-6) 0.0IP 3H 3R 3ER 0BB 0K 0HR

S Jason Isringhausen (6) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR

For the first time since 1995 the Padres bullpen gave up a two-run lead after the eighth inning on consecutive days, this time losing to the Mets 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Up 4-2 in the eighth, Bud Black once again went with the struggling Chad Qualls to pitch the eighth. After getting ahead of Angel Pagan with an 0-2 count, Qualls hung a slider that Pagan deposited in the right-center seats, cutting the lead to one. Qualls then gave up consecutive singles to Justin Turner and David Wright prompting Bud Black to pull Qualls in favor of rookie Josh Spence.

Cleanup hitter Lucas Duda then dropped a bunt, sacrificing both runners into scoring position with one out. Black then had Spence intentionally walk Jason Bay to load the bases with a potential force-out at every base. Nick Evans then hit a deep sacrifice fly to center, easily scoring Turner to tie the game.

Ronny Paulino then walked to reload the bases. Ruben Tejada then drew a seven-pitch walk, scoring David Wright, giving the Mets a 5-4 lead that they’d hold onto for the remainder of the game.

The Padres broke a scoreless tie in the fourth on consecutive double by Jesus Guzman (11) and Orlando Hudson (11). Aaron Cunningham then singled in Hudson two batters later to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

The Mets came back in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of singles and then a run-scoring double by Scott Hairston (7) to center. Ronny Pailino then hit a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game.

The next inning the Padres would retake the lead with a two-out rally in the fifth started by a sing by Maybin. Jason Bartlett then would double (14) him in to put the Padres up one. Jesus Guzman then hit his second double (12) of the day to score Bartlett for his 29^th RBI oh the season. The Padres would hold this lead (4-2) until the eighth inning.

August 10^th, 2011 Padres 9, Mets 5

SP Aaron Harang (11-3) 5.2IP 10H 3R 3ER 2BB 5K 0HR

LP R.A. Dickey (5-11) 6IP 6H 5R 3ER 1BB 3K 0HR

The Padres took a big lead for the third straight game, but hung on to it for the first time of the series, as they defeated the Mets 9-5 in Citi Field Wednesday night. Will Venable went 4-5, with a triple, two doubles and a single to lead the Padres offensive attack.

Venable led the game off with a triple (5) to right field. Jason Bartlett then hit a fly ball to medium right, scoring Venable from third to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.

Luis Martinez had a RBI single in the second with runners on the corners to put San Diego up two. Logan Forsythe was then thrown out at home on a safety squeeze by Aaron Harang. But Venable then hit a soft single to center, scoring Martinez to put the Friars up three.

The Padres added two more the next inning as well, with a RBI double by Forsythe (5) followed by Alberto Gonzalez’s sac fly.

Pitcher R.A.Dickey got the Mets on the board in the fourth with a seeing-eye single to left with two on, scoring Josh Thole from third base and moving Ruben Tejada to third with one-out.

Jason Pridie then hit a fly ball to left field that was caught by Kyle Blanks with the runner tagging. Blanks fired a strike to Martinez at home who applied the tag to Tejada in time before he reached the plate without a slide, ending the inning.

Thole would score again in the sixth on Nick Evans two-out double. Evans then would come around and score on Pridie’s ground ball to center, making it 5-3.

The Padres got another in the seventh when Venable doubled and then advanced to third on a single by Bartlett. Maybin then would hit a sac fly to left to give the Padres their sixth run.

The eighth inning had been a problem with San Diego’s suddenly vulnerable bullpen this series and seemed like it would be again when Luke Gregerson surrendered a double and run scoring single his first two batters of the inning. He then got Justin Pridie to hit a groundball to Forsythe who flipped the ball to Bartlett for the out a second before throwing wide to first, bringing Guzman off the bag at first. But the next batter Justin Turner hit a grounder to Bartlett, who flipped to Forsythe with the relay to Guzman to complete the double play.

With runners on first and third in the ninth, Cam Maybin grounded out to short, advancing both runners. Aaron Cunningham then single to put runners at the corners. Cunningham then stole second base. After Thole attempted to throw him out at seond Guzman stole home before the relay throw could come back to him, pushing the lead to five.

In a non-save situation Heath Bell came in to work the ninth inning. Heath loaded the bases with two outs and the Mets did manage a run on a fielding error by Forsythe. But Forsythe caught a line drive by Willie Harris to end the game with the Padres winning 9-5.

August 11^th, 2011 Padres 3, Mets 2

WP Chad Qualls (6-6) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR

LP Jon Niese (11-9) 7.2IP 3R 2ER 2BB 7K 1HR

S Heath Bell (32) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

Cam Maybin had two hits, including a solo home run and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh to help lead the Padres to a 3-2 lead.

With the score tied at two all, Maybin singled to lead off the inning. Maybin then stole second base before Logan Forsythe struck out. After Jesus Guzman was intentionally walked, Kyle Blanks struck out for out number two.  Maybin was the front end of a double steal that put runners on econd and third. Maybin then scored on a fielding error by Ruben Tejada off the bat ofAaron Cunningham. It was Tejada’s second error of the game.

Heath Bell then pitched a perfect ninth for his 32^nd save of the year. It was Bell’s first save opportunity since losing the first game of the series.

Maybin’s homer in the sixth was his seventh on the season. The solo shot put the cut the Mets lead in half. Luis Martinez then hit an RBI single in the seventh to tie the game with two outs. Cunningham led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sac bunt. He was momentarily stranded at third when James Darnell popped out to third before Martinez fought off an inside cutter to left field to tie the game.