Recap | Box score | Photos

WHAT IT MEANS: Assuming the closer’s role while Frank Francisco is on the disabled list, Bobby Parnell converted his first opportunity. Parnell earned his first save since last Sept. 22, when he was auditioning for the job after Jason Isringhausen notched No. 300.

And with David Wright contributing two RBIs and Chris Young outdueling former teammate Chris Capuano, the Mets beat the Dodgers, 3-2, Thursday night.

L.A. fell from first place in the National League West for the first time since April 10 with San Francisco beating Cincinnati.

DEEP THOUGHTS: Wright matched Howard Johnson for third on the franchise’s homer list with a leadoff blast in the fourth against his ex-teammate Capuano, which staked the Mets to a 2-0 lead.

It was the 192^nd homer of Wright’s career, and came in his 4,426^th at-bat. HoJo reached that total in 3,968 at-bats as a Met.

Darryl Strawberry owns the franchise record with 252 homers, followed by Mike Piazza with 220.

Wright also became the all-time walks leader in franchise history with an eighth-inning free pass. No. 581 of Wright’s career passed Strawberry.

Wright already had grabbed the franchise record for RBIs and runs scored this season, and previously owned the Mets doubles record.

Wright had opened Thursday’s scoring with a first-inning double that plated Ruben Tejada.

CHRISES: Young and Capuano -- who both signed with the Mets before the 2011 season for low base salaries with incentives -- squared off in the series opener, after Capuano parlayed his Mets success into a two-year, $10 million deal with Los Angeles.

Young retired the first nine Dodgers he faced before L.A. snapped its 33-inning scoreless drought and pulled even at 2 in the fourth with a leadoff double by Dee Gordon, followed by Elian Herrera’s triple and Juan Rivera’s single.

The Mets broke the tie the following half-inning against Capuano as Andres Torres doubled to drive in Mike Nickeas with the go-ahead run. Nickeas was playing his first game at Dodger Stadium since losing a high school state championship game at the ballpark.

Young departed with that 3-2 lead intact with one out in the seventh and Adam Kennedy on first base. Tim Byrdak recorded the inning’s final two outs -- lefty hitters Tony Gwynn Jr. and Gordon -- to strand two runners. Jon Rauch pitched a scoreless eighth for the Mets, benefiting from second baseman Daniel Murphy initiating a nifty double play.

Capuano’s line: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 1 WP.

WHAT’S NEXT: R.A. Dickey (11-1, 2.31 ERA) tries to rebound from a rare blemish when he opposes right-hander Aaron Harang on Friday at 10:10 p.m. ET.