Mets beat Padres 4-2 as Benge homers in series finale
The New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at Citi Field to win the series finale. The decisive Mets score came on Carson Benge's two-run fourth-inning homer off Michael King, with Jared Young's RBI single capping a two-run eighth. King turned in another quality start, but San Diego managed just two hits and dropped the road trip closer.
For viewers following live MLB alerts, the afternoon finale wrapped a six-game Mets homestand and ended the Padres' swing through Cleveland and New York. San Diego rotated wins and losses across the trip, and Fernando Tatis Jr. summed it up as "decent" but feeling it "could've been better," according to MLB.com. More pennant-race updates and watch alerts are in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Key Takeaways
- Mets won 4-2 behind Benge's go-ahead two-run homer and a two-run eighth inning.
- Michael King allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings; Robert Stock held the Padres to one run and two hits.
- San Diego still controls the final National League Wild Card spot despite the loss.
- Benge became the first Mets rookie with 15 homers and 15 steals since Darryl Strawberry in 1983.
- Padres host Minnesota on Friday; the Mets are off Thursday before facing Chicago.
How Did the Mets Score Their Runs Against the Padres?
After Michael King held New York scoreless through three innings, Carson Benge delivered the breakthrough. With a runner on and two outs in the fourth, the 23-year-old worked the count full and sliced a 95 mph sinker just inside the left-field foul pole for a go-ahead two-run homer, his 15th of the season.
Interim manager Andy Green had jokingly challenged Benge earlier, telling him it was "time to do something" after the Mets were mowed down early. Benge celebrated in the dugout and told Green "I did something" on his way to right field, per SNY.
San Diego threatened in the seventh when Fernando Tatis Jr. threw out Francisco Alvarez at the plate from right field, keeping the score 2-1. But an errant throw from Sung-Mun Song at shortstop in the eighth—after Xander Bogaerts exited with a hamstring cramp—allowed a run to score, and Young's single later in the frame pushed the Mets score to 4-1.
Why Did Michael King's Strong Start Still End in a Loss?
King (8-9) allowed only Benge's opposite-field homer across 6 2/3 innings, striking out four. It was his latest quality start in a rotation that has found its groove since the Trade Deadline, with King, Robbie Ray, Casey Mize and Walker Buehler combining for four straight quality outings to finish the road trip.
Offensively, the Padres could not solve Mets starter Robert Stock, who struck out six and did not allow a hit until Bogaerts doubled to lead off the fifth. San Diego finished with two hits total and left traffic on base all afternoon.
In the ninth, the Padres scored once on Gavin Sheets' pinch-hit RBI single off Kodai Senga, who notched his fourth save in four chances filling in for injured closer Devin Williams. Austin Hays pinch-hit for Song with the tying run on first but bounced into a game-ending double play with Tatis waiting on deck.
What Does the Result Mean for Both Teams?
The Padres entered Wednesday with a two-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last NL playoff spot, per ESPN. Despite going 18-7 over the previous four weeks, manager Craig Stammen called the eighth-inning meltdown "just one of those innings." King said the disappointing finish still leaves the club confident while holding a playoff position.
New York, meanwhile, improved to 11-4 since August 4 despite a major sell-off at the deadline. Benge has nine outfield assists this season, including five in that span, and Nate Lavender (1-0) earned the win after a clean sixth inning. The Mets are off Thursday before Sean Manaea faces the White Sox; San Diego returns home Friday against Minnesota.