Brian Lawrence escaped a bases loaded jam in the first inning and allowed just four hits the rest of the way last night, pitching the San Diego Padres to a 4-0 victory over the slumping Mets.

Lawrence (13-10) threw a six-hitter for his second straight complete game. The Mets have lost four in a row, the last three to the Padres.

In the Padres first, Al Leiter hit Loretta with a pitch and with two out, Nevin singled and Rich Aurilia walked. But Ramon Hernandez popped up, ending the threat.

In the bottom of the first, Eric Valent singled and one out later, David Wright doubled. After Lawrence walked Floyd intentionally, he retired Richard Hidalgo on a pop up and Mike Cameron on a fly ball.

San Diego nicked Leiter (9-5) for a run in the fifth when ex-Met Jay Payton opened with a walk. After Lawrence popped out trying to sacrifice, Freddy Guzman doubled and Mark Loretta followed with a sacrifice fly.

An inning later, Phil Nevin led off with his 18th home run of the season.

In the seventh, the Padres loaded the bases when Lawrence walked and Guzman and Loretta singled. Brian Giles delivered a sacrifice fly and Nevin’s single made it 4-0.

That was all Lawrence needed for his career-high 13th victory as he struck out four and walked two. He retired 18 of 19 batters after the first inning, a stretch that was interrupted only by Danny Garcia’s third-inning double.

A base running mistake cost the Mets a chance to break the shutout in the ninth. Cliff Floyd led off with a single into left-center, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.