Piazza Is the People’s Choice in New York

It didn’t take long for Mike Piazza to transform Shea Stadium into a jumpin’ joint.

With the All-Star catcher the main attraction, the Mets drew a sellout crowd at New York for the first time in five years, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-3, Sunday on Brian McRae’s go-ahead, three-run double and Carlos Baerga’s two-run homer.

“You feel the excitement,” said Bobby Jones (4-3), who won his third consecutive start.

Piazza, in his second game since the Mets acquired him from Florida on Friday, was one for five. But his presence was larger; he drew huge cheers and some standing ovations whenever his name was announced.

“Feeling the adrenaline is not a problem,” Piazza said. “Actually, I have to calm myself down.”

The crowd of 47,291--about 8,500 bought tickets from Friday on--was the first full house at Shea since the 1993 season opener against Colorado drew 53,134. “I wasn’t surprised at the walkup. I was elated at the adulation,” Mets co-owner Fred Wilpon said. “The respect of this great player, as he said himself, he was sort of like a rock star. New York likes a larger-than-life guy.”

The Mets, who swept the three-game series, haven’t filled their ballpark regularly for a decade, since the Dwight Gooden-Darryl Strawberry-Gary Carter-Keith Hernandez teams won the 1986 World Series and the 1988 NL East title. Piazza was acquired as much for his marquee value as his bat.

His arrival coincides with a hot streak. The Mets have won four in a row and six of seven overall, and 10 of their last 11 at home.

“I think the buzz and excitement is just for us winning,” McRae said. “If we had lost six out of seven and got Mike, I don’t think there would be as much buzz and excitement.”

San Francisco 9, St. Louis 6--After Mark McGwire hit a tying home run in the 12th, the Giants intentionally walked him with two out and none on in the 14th and the strategy paid off as San Francisco went on to win in the 17th at St. Louis in the longest game in the majors this season.

Barry Bonds hit a two-out, two-run homer in the Giants ninth that tied the score, 4-4. Jeff Kent put San Francisco ahead, 6-4, with a two-run homer in the 12th, setting up another magic moment for McGwire.

With the Cardinals down to their last strike, McGwire hit his major league-leading 24th homer off Robb Nen. In the 10th, Nen struck out McGwire with the bases loaded.

The longest previous game this year was 16 innings between Pittsburgh and San Diego on April 25.

The game lasted five hours, 45 minutes, topping the previous long of 4:54 when Minnesota played at Tampa Bay on April 13.

Montreal 5, Philadelphia 4--The Phillies’ Tyler Green lost his bid for a perfect game in the seventh inning, and the Phillies lost at Montreal on pinch-hitter Robert Perez’s sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Green retired the first 18 batters, then hit Jose Vidro with a pitch leading off a three-run seventh. Mark Grudzielanek followed with a sacrifice bunt that Green threw away for an error, and Vladimir Guerrero hit an RBI single.

Carlos Perez (4-3) pitched eight innings and won his fourth consecutive start. Ugueth Urbina worked the ninth for his 11th save.

Atlanta 2, Chicago 1--Tom Glavine pitched a three-hitter and Michael Tucker singled home the winning run in the ninth at Atlanta.

Glavine (7-2) struck out 10 in his first complete game of the season. He gave up a leadoff homer to Manny Alexander, then retired 27 of the next 30 batters.

Ryan Klesko led off the ninth with a double against Terry Adams (2-3). Pinch-runner Danny Bautista took third on Javy Lopez’s infield single and Tucker followed with a line-drive single to left that gave the Braves their 12th win in 15 games.

Florida 4, Pittsburgh 3--Cliff Floyd hit a two-run double in the eighth inning as the Marlins rallied at Miami.

Floyd and Edgar Renteria both went two-for-four for the Marlins, who overcame a 3-0 deficit.

Jermaine Allensworth had two hits and drove in a run for Pittsburgh.

Colorado 3, Cincinnati 1--Bobby Jones gave up only two hits in seven innings and Larry Walker extended his hitting streak to 19 games, longest in the majors this season, to lead the Rockies at Cincinnati.

Slumping Vinny Castilla hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the sixth inning, setting up the Reds’ seventh loss in nine games. The Reds committed an error--their major league-leading 48th--and misjudged a fly ball that figured in the Rockies’ scoring.

Cincinnati had only two baserunners and one of them was erased on a double play. The Reds sent 28 batters to the plate, one over the minimum.

Chuck McElroy pitched a perfect eighth and Jerry Dipoto finished the combined two-hitter by getting the final three outs for his 11th save.