Piazza Upstages Bonds’ Return

Mike Piazza hit another big home run to make sure Barry Bonds’ return to the Giants’ lineup didn’t stop San Francisco’s latest skid.

Piazza homered off Jim Brower with two out in the 11th inning Thursday night, giving the New York Mets a 2-1 victory and a three-game sweep of the last-place Giants at Shea Stadium.

A night earlier, Piazza hit his 352nd home run as a catcher, passing Carlton Fisk and setting a major league record that he’s coveted for years.

Ending what began as a tight duel involving the Mets’ Al Leiter and the Giants’ Jason Schmidt, Piazza hit a drive off Brower (0-2) over a leaping Bonds in left field.

Bonds, who had sat out three games because of a sinus infection, was 0 for 3 with two intentional walks.

San Diego 7, Atlanta 3 -- Khalil Greene and Jay Payton homered, Brian Lawrence pitched seven innings at Atlanta and the Padres won for the ninth time in 12 games. Atlanta turned an around-the-horn triple play on a grounder by Kerry Robinson in the eighth.

Chicago 11, Arizona 3 -- Derrek Lee went five for five and drove in five runs and Matt Clement became the team’s first five-game winner, leading the Cubs at Chicago. Lee’s three-run homer keyed a five-run fifth inning for the Cubs.

Houston 5, Pittsburgh 2 -- Wade Miller shut out Pittsburgh for 7 1/3 innings and retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, and the Astros completed a three-game sweep at Houston.

St. Louis 7, Philadelphia 4 -- Hector Luna’s three-run homer capped a five-run first inning and Jeff Suppan survived six shaky innings for the Cardinals at Philadelphia.

Cincinnati 9, Milwaukee 6 -- Dropped below the cleanup spot for the first time in 14 years, Ken Griffey Jr. homered and drove in a season-high five runs to lead the Reds at Cincinnati.

Montreal 3, Colorado 1 -- Livan Hernandez pitched a five-hitter at Montreal.