updated 2:32 a.m. ET April 26, 2007

PHOENIX - Even as he mowed down the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jake Peavy had no idea he needed one strike to tie Tom Seaver’s major league record of 10 consecutive strikeouts.

“I knew I struck out quite a few in a row,” said Peavy, who tied a career-high with 16 strikeouts. “I’m just trying to get outs. Records are the last thing from your mind.”

Peavy’s gem was wasted when Stephen Drew hit a two-out, two-run homer off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth to give the Diamondbacks a 3-2 victory over the Padres Wednesday night.

“That’s a tough night,” Peavy said. “That bullpen has picked me up time and time again, and they’re going to have nights like this, and we can’t expect all of them to be perfect.”

For three memorable innings, Peavy was perfect.

The 25-year-old Alabaman struck out the side in the second, third and fourth innings. The first eight were swinging as the Diamondbacks flailed helplessly at an assortment of darting fastballs and diving breaking pitches.

Peavy’s strikeout streak ended when he walked Eric Byrnes on a 3-2 pitch after a check swing call by first base umpire Jeff Kellogg.

“It was close,” Kellogg said. “He had a lot of leg movement, but the bat didn’t get around.”

Peavy had singled and run the bases in the top of the fifth. When he went back to the mound, Peavy didn’t realize he was so close to tying Seaver.

“Now that I do, I wish I had that pitch back,” he said, referring to ball four to Byrnes. “I didn’t know it was any kind of record.”

Peavy fell four short of the strikeout record for a nine-inning game — 20 shared by Roger Clemens (twice) and Kerry Wood.

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“I just felt good,” Peavy said. “I had a good breaking ball, lively fastball. Threw a couple of changeups, cutters, sliders — a little bit of everything.”

Chase Field is often a hitter’s paradise when the roof is open on a warm night. But on an 87-degree night in the desert, Peavy owned the Diamondbacks, striking out every man in the lineup at least once and getting rookies Chris Young and Carlos Quentin three times apiece.

“That was a pretty dominating performance right there,” said Arizona manager Bob Melvin, who was ejected by home plate umpire Mike Reilly for arguing balls and strikes in the fifth inning.

Seaver set the consecutive strikeouts record for the New York Mets against San Diego on April 22, 1970, when he struck out his final 10 batters — and 19 in all.

Peavy’s first eight strikeouts were swinging. The streak began in the second inning, when Peavy struck out Byrnes, Drew and Quentin.

In the third, Peavy struck out Chris Snyder — who was thrown out at first after catcher Pete Laforest dropped the pitch — Webb and Young. Peavy had fallen behind Young 3-0.

In the fourth, Peavy fanned Alberto Callaspo, Orlando Hudson and Chad Tracy, who was called out.

“Incredible outing,” said Padres manager Bud Black, a former pitcher.

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