Atlanta’s relief pitcher Blaine Boyer reacts as the Mets' Mike Piazza heads for home plate after hitting a three-run home run in the eighth inning at Shea Stadium. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Piazza stepped out from the New York Mets’ dugout, waved to the roaring crowd and soaked in a rare curtain call.

For baseball’s greatest slugging catcher, the celebrations have been few and far between lately. One big swing got him back in the fans’ good graces.

‘‘It felt good,’’ Piazza said with a big smile. ‘‘It really did.’’

Piazza hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the eighth inning and David Wright connected twice to lead the Mets over the Atlanta Braves 6-3 Thursday night.

Piazza, hitting .260 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs, has struggled to produce big hits the past few seasons while dealing with injuries and a failed attempt to move to first base. He came through this time, though, sending an 0-2 pitch from Blaine Boyer over the right-field wall.

The homer was Piazza’s 388th, one behind Johnny Bench for 46th on the career list, and gave him 1,200 career RBIs.

‘‘It’s weird,’’ Piazza said. ‘‘I feel like I’ve been swinging the bat pretty well. I’m not hitting .350 or anything, but I guess I was lucky the first part of my career. I guess it’s catching up to me a little bit.’’

Carlos Beltran matched a career high with four hits as the Mets beat the Braves for just the third time in 10 meetings.

It was the opener of a four-game series between the NL East rivals.

With the score tied at 3, Beltran hit a one-out double in the eighth off reliever Jim Brower (3-2). John Foster followed by walking Cliff Floyd on four pitches. Braves manager Bobby Cox then brought in Boyer to face Piazza.

‘‘You don’t want to get beat 02 when you’ve got the hitter in the hole,’’ Cox said. ‘‘It was a bad pitch, but it’s a pitch that Mike’s so strong, he can hit it out.’’

Roberto Hernandez (5-2) earned the win in relief of starter Kris Benson with one scoreless inning. Braden Looper pitched a perfect ninth for his 21st save.

Adam LaRoche homered for the Braves, who have lost three straight after winning a season high six in a row.

The Mets tied it at 3 in the seventh on Jose Offerman’s single — his sixth hit as a pinch-hitter in nine at-bats. Wright drew a leadoff walk, moved up on Chris Woodward’s sacrifice and went to third on Horacio Ramirez’s wild pickoff attempt before Offerman’s base hit.

Benson allowed three runs — two earned — and five hits in seven innings. He struck out seven.

Ramirez gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings.

‘‘The two home runs to Wright, I think he missed his spots,’’ Cox said. ‘‘Other than that, he pitched a terrific game.’’

Notes: Wright’s previous multihomer game was Sept. 2, when he hit two against Florida. ... The Mets lead the majors with 37 pinch-hits.