Flushing, NY (Best E Casino) - Fernando Tatis clubbed two home runs and drove in four runs, as the New York Mets overcame a late-inning charge by the San Diego Padres to secure a 6-5 win in the opener of a three-game set from Shea Stadium.

Carlos Beltran finished 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Mets, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Dan Murphy recorded his first career double and collected the first RBI of his career.

New York's Mike Pelfrey (10-7) gave up nine hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings to get the win. He has won eight of his last nine decisions.

"I'm not trying to be perfect," Pelfrey said. "If I fall behind a guy, I'm gonna maybe throw a fastball down the middle and try to work back into it. I don't feel like I have to be as perfect and when you think that way your command is going to get better."

The Mets are third in the tight National League East, two games out of first place and a half-game behind the second-place Marlins. New York picked up a game on the first-place Phillies after Florida posted an 8-2 win in Philadelphia Tuesday.

Prior to the game, the Mets placed closer Billy Wagner on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left forearm and recalled pitcher Ruddy Lugo from Triple- A New Orleans.

Jody Gerut was 3-for-5 with a three-run homer for San Diego, which has dropped five of its last six contests. Kevin Kouzmanoff and Adrian Gonzalez each belted a solo home run.

Chris Young went 5 1/3 frames and allowed two runs on just one hit with five walks and five strikeouts, but did not factor in the decision. Mike Adams (1-1) surrendered two runs in two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.

"The fastball had some late life, getting some swings and misses on it," Young said. "I feel like I'm working in and out decent, offspeed stuff's coming along, but rhythm and tempo are just a hair off and that comes with time. I missed two months and I can't expect to be in midseason form without having been out there."

With Wagner on the shelf, Aaron Heilman came on in the ninth to protect a 6-2 lead and issued a lead-off walk to Nick Hundley. A fly ball off the bat of Luis Rodriguez fell in front of a sliding Carlos Beltran for a single and one out later, Gerut jumped on a 1-1 fastball and drove it over the right-field wall. Joe Smith took over on the mound and Argenis Reyes made a juggling catch in foul ground for out number two. Then, New York manager Jerry Manuel summoned Scott Schoeneweis from the bullpen and the lefty needed only one pitch to retire Brian Giles and notch his first save of the season.

After three scoreless innings, Kouzmanoff's two-out shot to left put the Padres on the board, and Tatis' 100th career home run -- a two-out blast over the left-field wall -- tied the game in the bottom of the fourth.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Gonzalez deposited an offering from Pelfrey over the right-field wall for his 27th home run of the season and a 2-1 Padres lead. Gonzalez is three home runs shy of joining Fred McGriff (1991-92) and Phil Nevin (2000-01) as the only Padres to record back-to-back 30-homer seasons.

The Mets forged ahead in the bottom of the sixth on Tatis' second homer of the game. Carlos Delgado drew a one-out walk and Adams came on in relief for Young, who had handcuffed the Mets to that point. Adams promptly served up a single to Beltran before Tatis connected on a 2-2 pitch and hooked it down the left-field line for a 4-2 Mets lead.

New York picked up an insurance run in the seventh on Murphy's RBI double. The Mets extended their lead further in the eighth when pinch-hitter Nick Evans lined a two-out double to center and Gerut's errant throw allowed Beltran, who had reached on an infield single, to come home with the Mets' sixth run.

Game Notes

Pedro Feliciano tossed 1 1/3 scoreless frames for New York...It was the ninth career save for Schoeneweis and his first since September 23, 2007 at Florida...Tatis has hit safely in 11 straight games...San Diego left seven men on base, while the Mets stranded five...San Diego swept a four-game set from the Mets earlier in the year...San Diego's Cha Seung Baek (3-5) and New York's Pedro Martinez (3-2) are scheduled to start on Wednesday.