Harvey improves to 5-0, leads Mets over Cubs 3-2

[May 18, 2013]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Matt Harvey won his fifth straight decision, allowing five hits in 7 1-3 innings and singling in the go-ahead run in the seventh to lead the New York Mets over the Chicago Cubs 3-2 Friday.

Daniel Murphy and David Wright homered for the Mets, and right fielder Marlon Byrd preserved the lead by throwing out a runner at the plate in the eighth inning. The Mets won consecutive games for the first time since May 1 and 3.

Harvey (5-0) won his first four starts of the year, then failed to get a decision in his next four starts.

Chicago took a 2-1 lead in the first with three hits off Harvey, who had allowed just three first-inning hits this year.

Startlin Castro singled, Anthony Rizzo doubled and Alfonso Soriano hit an RBI single to shortstop Ruben Tejada, who ranged behind second and bounced a catchable one-hop throw past first baseman Ike Davis for a throwing error as Rizzo came home.

Nate Schierholtz lined to center, starting a streak in which Harvey retired 20 of 21 batters around Castro's one-out single in the third.

Harvey gave both runs, struck out six and walked none as his ERA rose from 1.45 to 1.55. Scott Rice, Gregg Burke and Bobby Parnell combined for one-hit relief, with Parnell pitching a perfect ninth for his fifth save in seven chances.

Edwin Jackson (1-6), coming off a victory at Washington on May 11, gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Wright's sixth homer of the season, on a 1-2 pitch, put the Mets ahead in the first. Murphy's opposite-field home run to left leading off the fourth tied the score at 2.

Rick Ankiel doubled to right just over Schierholtz's glove with one out in the seventh. Harvey, at that point 2 for 18 at the plate this year, singled to left.

Byrd preserved the lead in the eighth. Darwin Barney singled leading off and was sacrificed to second, and Rice relieved Harvey.

David DeJesus singled sharply to right, and third-base coach David Bell sent Barney home. Byrd threw on the fly to catcher John Buck, and the ball beat Barney by about 15 feet. Barney didn't even bother to slide and slowed down as Buck applied the tag.

NOTES: Cubs manager Dale Sveum would not put a date on the return of RHP Matt Garza to the starting rotation. Garza threw 75 pitches in six innings Thursday for Triple-A Iowa. Garza suffered a training camp lat muscle strain and has not pitched for the Cubs this season. "He did what we asked him to do," Sveum said. ... Davis ended an 0-for-24 slide with a sixth-inning single.

[Associated Press]

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