San Diego @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2011 ) San Diego 4, NY Mets 5

THE STORY: The shorthanded New York Mets continue to terrorize one of the best bullpens in baseball. Meanwhile, the Mets’ bullpen has been in pretty good hands since Jason Isringhausen took over the closer’s role. Isringhausen hopes to get a shot at his 300th career save Wednesday when the Mets seek a third straight win over the visiting San Diego Padres. New York rallied from a four-run deficit Monday and scored three times in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 5-4 win. Ruben Tejada drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run. The Mets are without their top two hitters – Jose Reyes (hamstring) and Daniel Murphy (torn MCL).

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), Channel 4 San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH R.A. Dickey (5-10, 3.72 ERA) vs. Padres RH Aaron Harang (10-3, 3.91).

Dickey is a prime example of why wins can be an overrated stat. The knuckleballer is 1-3 in his last seven starts despite a respectable 3.60 ERA in that span. He is 1-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 12 home starts and has been backed by two runs or fewer in eight of those outings. Dickey has never faced San Diego. Harang, who is in the midst of a bounce-back season with his hometown team, hasn’t had the same problems as Dickey. He has won three of his last four starts while posting a 6.95 ERA. San Diego’s normally dormant offense has scored 32 runs for him in that period. Harang is 2-3 with a 6.11 ERA in six starts against New York. Two Mets in particular have hammered Harang. Jason Bay is hitting .370 (17-for-46) with five homers, six doubles and nine RBIs, and David Wright is 8-for-12 with a homer and five RBIs.

ABOUT THE METS (58-57): New York's last two wins have been astonishing for a number of reasons. But the most obvious one is the Mets were 2-44 this season when trailing after seven innings prior to this series. Isringhausen, who has been closing since New York traded Francisco Rodriguez in mid-July, is 6-for-7 in save opportunities and is one shy of becoming the 23rd pitcher to record 300 saves. Angel Pagan has homered in consecutive games while hitting leadoff in place of Reyes. Queens native Mike Baxter, who was called up Monday, will make his first start with his hometown team in right field Wednesday. Jason Bay extended his hitting streak to 11 games Tuesday.

ABOUT THE PADRES (51-66): San Diego has lost two straight since a season-high tying four-game winning streak. Their bullpen ERA has risen from 2.80 to 2.96 in two games. Rookie Jesus Guzman, who extended his career-best hitting streak to 10 games Tuesday, leads the majors with 25 RBIs since the All-Star break. Third baseman James Darnell, a second-round pick in 2008, became the 10th Padres’ player to make his major-league debut this season. Darnell went 0-for-4 on Tuesday in place of Chase Headley, who is out 4-to-6 weeks with a fractured pinkie. Orlando Hudson hit cleanup for the first time in his 10-career Tuesday. He had an RBI double before leaving with a groin injury. He is day-to-day. Cameron Maybin's streak of 21 straight stolen bases came to an end when he was thrown out in the seventh inning Tuesday.

FINAL PITCH: Prior to Monday's furious rally, the Mets had lost 195 straight games when trailing by two or more runs after eight innings. It was the longest streak in franchise history.