(My Sportsbook) - New York southpaw Johan Santana looks for a seventh straight start without a loss today when the Mets host the San Diego Padres in the finale of a three-game series at Shea Stadium.

Santana, a big-ticket acquisition from the Minnesota Twins in the offseason, is 2-0 with four no-decisions since dropping a 3-2 verdict to the New York Yankees on June 28.

He's allowed two runs or fewer in five of the six outings, including a complete-game effort against St. Louis on July 27, in which he scattered six hits and allowed one run in a 9-1 triumph.

In his last start, on August 2 at Houston, he allowed just three hits and a run in 6 1/3 innings, but got a no-decision when the Mets eventually lost, 5-4.

Santana is 1-2 in three career starts against the Padres with a 2.89 earned run average.

Right-hander Josh Banks faces the Mets for the second time in just more than a month. He scattered five hits and allowed a run in six innings against New York on June 5, getting a no-decision in the Padres 2-1 win in San Diego.

The 26-year-old Baltimore native has won just once in nine appearances since, while the Padres have gone 2-7 in games in which he's pitched.

In his last outing on August 1, Banks allowed eight hits and an earned run in seven innings of San Diego's 3-2 loss.

On Wednesday, Cha Seung Baek held the Mets bats in check through 6 1/3 frames, and the Padres took advantage of costly mistakes from David Wright in a 4-2 victory.

Baek (4-6) gave up two runs on eight hits, issuing one walk and striking out five to earn the win.

Jody Gerut, Brian Giles and Chase Headley accounted for three of San Diego's four runs with a solo home run each. The Padres have won two of their last three games.

Dan Murphy was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored while Wright had two hits and an RBI but made two costly mistakes, an error that allowed the go-ahead run in the seventh and a baserunning blunder that cut short a possible big fifth inning.

Pedro Martinez (3-3) was handed the loss but pitched well over 6 1/3 frames, surrendering three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and three walks.

The right-hander recorded three strikeouts in his second start since rejoining the team after missing time with a combination of a groin injury and the death of his father.

San Diego swept a four-game set from the Mets earlier in the year and has won nine of the 12 matchups since the start of last season.