NEW YORK — David Stearns built much of the team that faced the Mets on Friday at Citi Field, acquiring many of the players that appeared on the field for the Milwaukee Brewers as the club’s former president of baseball operations.

Stearns now holds that title with the Mets, the team he watched as a child on the Upper East Side. In the battle of new vs. old, it was his old team that won, with the Brewers defeating the Mets, 3-1, on opening day.

One of the first players Stearns acquired in Milwaukee, right-hander Freddy Peralta, allowed only one hit — a solo home run by Starling Marte in the bottom of the second — over six innings in the win (1-0). Mets left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1) allowed two earned runs on six hits, walked two and struck out four in 4 2/3 innings.

The wind was not on Quintana’s side. It was blowing out to right field hard throughout the game, aiding fly balls and hindering Marte, who had to throw against the wind. Christian Yelich got a pitch to hit leading off the fourth inning and drove it right into the Mets’ bullpen for a home run, tying the game at 1-1.

Quintana walked Andruw Montasterio with one out in the fifth and rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio hit one through the right side, allowing him to reach third. Catcher William Contreras hit a fly ball to right and Marte’s throw home hung in the air a little longer than usual, allowing Montasterio to score.

A single by Yelich knocked Quintana out of the game. Drew Smith finished the inning and retired the side in order in the sixth. Jorge Lopez allowed a run in the seventh to give the Brewers (1-0) a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Milwaukee right-hander Trevor Megill, the brother of Mets right-hander Tylor Megill, had a runner on second with two outs. Marte hit the ball deep to right but Chourio caught it at the wall.

It was an eventful day, starting with the honoring of late Mets Hall of Famer Bud Harrelson. The scrappy shortstop who once fought Pete Rose would have approved of the scuffle in the eighth inning when frequent Mets tormenter Rhys Hoskins slid hard into Jeff McNeil at second base to break up a double play. McNeil let Hoskins, the former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, know how he felt, prompting the benches to clear.

McNeil continued to yell at second base umpire Jonathan Parra while the Mets challenged the force out call for a slide rule violation. The call on the field was upheld and Willy Adames took his base.

Michael Tonkin retired Blake Perkins to end the inning. He pitched two scoreless innings in his Mets debut.

Joel Payamps retired the Mets in order in the bottom of the frame to hold the lead for the Brewers. Abner Uribe did the same in the ninth to record the save (one).

The series continues Saturday afternoon with right-hander Luis Severino making his first start with the Mets (0-1), opposing left-hander DL Hall.

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