Mets Beat Padres in Piazza’s Return

NEW YORK —  Mike Piazza got a warm welcome home from the crowd at Shea Stadium and the New York Mets got a win in a matchup of division leaders.

David Wright hit two run-scoring singles and New York defeated the San Diego Padres, 3-2, Tuesday night to ruin Piazza’s homecoming.

The former Mets catcher had one hit in four at-bats in his first game in the Big Apple since he signed with the Padres in the off-season. He received loud cheers from the moment he exited the dugout for pregame stretching to his last at-bat in the eighth inning.

“That’s how you treat heroes and I think that’s what he’s been to a lot of fans here in the city of New York,” Mets Manager Willie Randolph said. “I’m really pleased the way they showed their love for him and a good thing we got the win and he got a nice little knock in there.

“I’m sure that the fans got a little bit of both tonight.”

Wright, one of the new leaders of the first-place Mets, went three for four and had one of New York’s three stolen bases against Piazza, who has long had trouble throwing out runners. Carlos Beltran also doubled three times to tie a Mets record.