The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Mike Piazza's move to first base paid off for the New York Mets.

With a day game after a night game, Thursday almost certainly would have been a day off for Piazza last season.

Instead, the All-Star catcher doubled twice, drove in one run and set up two others, leading the Mets over the still-slumping Montreal Expos 3-2.

Piazza's hitting was enough to help the Mets offset an Expos rally in the ninth inning. His third-inning double led to New York's first run, and Piazza made it 2-1 in the seventh before pinch-runner Vance Wilson scored the winning run on a two-out double by Mike Cameron.

"It's a good situation personally to stay in the lineup when I'm swinging the bat well, no matter where I play," Piazza said.

Piazza is swinging the bat well even though he has not homered in two weeks. He is one home run away from Carlton Fisk's record of 351 for a catcher. Piazza went 11-for-32 (.344) on the homestand and raised his average to .328.

Steve Trachsel (2-2) limited the Expos to four hits in seven innings. His only mistake was an 0-2 pitch with two out in the seventh that Brian Schneider hit off the right field foul pole to tie the game at 1.

The Expos are the first team not to score more than four runs in any of its first 16 games since the 1968 Chicago White Sox, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Padres 9, Giants 4

SAN FRANCISCO - Phil Nevin hit a two-run homer, and Ismael Valdez pitched 5 2/3 strong innings for San Diego on a day slugger San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds was held out of the lineup to rest.

After allowing two runs in the first inning, Valdez cruised until giving up a two-run triple to Neifi Perez in the sixth that chased the right-hander. Valdez gave up two earned runs on six hits, struck out one and walked two.

Rockies 7, Dodgers 1, 6 innings

DENVER - Matt Holliday hit his first major-league homer and had three RBI, and Vinny Castilla went 3-for-3 with a homer for Colorado in a game shortened because of rain.

Shawn Estes (3-1) allowed only two hits for the Rockies, who won two of three at Coors Field. It's the first series the Dodgers have lost this season.

Marlins 9, Phillies 7

PHILADELPHIA - Mike Lowell and Mike Redmond homered to help Florida to its third straight three-game sweep of Philadelphia.

The benches cleared and Phillies catcher Todd Pratt and Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez were ejected after starting a melee in the second inning following a high and inside pitch from Brett Myers to Gonzalez.

The Phillies scored twice in the ninth before Jim Thome, who had homered earlier, struck out with two on to end it.

Diamondbacks 11, Brewers 9, 15 innings

MILWAUKEE - Danny Bautista homered twice and singled home the go-ahead run in the 15th inning for Arizona. Bautista, who set career highs with five hits and five RBI, extended his hitting streak to 14 games as the Diamondbacks stopped their losing streak at four.

The Brewers rallied for three runs in the ninth, tying it at 9 on a two-run homer by Brooks Kieschnick off Matt Mantei.