April 14, 2015
NEW YORK — Matt Harvey won his first home start in almost 20 months, and Lucas Duda hit a three-run double to lead the New York Mets past the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 Tuesday night for their third straight victory.
Daniel Murphy homered over the right-center fence that was brought in 3 to 11 feet this season at Citi Field, and the Mets beat their NL East rivals for the 19th time in the last 25 meetings. But it wasn't all good news for New York: David Wright and Michael Cuddyer left the game with injuries.
Chase Utley homered twice for Philadelphia and hit an RBI single after entering 2 for 22 (.091). He also was hit in the back by a 95 mph fastball from Harvey with first base open — prompting plate umpire Alfonso Marquez to warn both benches.
Harvey (2-0) was no doubt retaliating after Phillies starter David Buchanan (0-2) plunked Wilmer Flores and Cuddyer in the second, both on the left hand.
Cuddyer, who had an RBI single, exited with a bruise and X-rays were negative, the Mets said. Wright pulled his right hamstring while stealing second in the eighth.
With the Mets out of position players on the bench, that left backup catcher Anthony Recker playing third base for the first time in his professional career in the ninth.
New York manager Terry Collins was gone by the fifth, ejected by Marquez for arguing a catcher's interference call.
Harvey struck out nine in six shutout innings last week at Washington, his first outing since Tommy John surgery in October 2013. Finally back on the Citi Field mound where he started the All-Star Game that year, the right-hander whiffed eight and walked none in six innings. He gave up three runs and five hits.
Jeurys Familia allowed Jeff Francoeur's solo homer in the ninth before earning his third save.
Travis d'Arnaud had an RBI single for the Mets in the fifth after Duda's second double. Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg lost a replay challenge on the play at the plate.
Harvey gave up solo homers to Utley and Cody Asche — and even a leadoff double to Buchanan. That came in the fifth, when Collins was ejected for arguing a catcher's interference call that loaded the bases with two outs.
Harvey escaped by retiring Carlos Ruiz on a popup, Philadelphia's latest failure with runners in scoring position this season. The Phillies entered 8 for 47 (.170) in those situations.
Earlier in the inning, Freddy Galvis fouled out on a bunt attempt with a runner at third and one out.
Utley had an RBI single in the third.
General manager Sandy Alderson all but acknowledged the Mets avoided throwing Harvey on Monday in the hopes of drawing more fans for their second home date, which often attracts a thin crowd.
Attendance was 39,489, a jump from 29,146 last year for the second home game against Washington.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Right-handed relievers Vic Black (shoulder tendinitis) and Bobby Parnell (elbow surgery) began their rehab assignments with Class A St. Lucie, each throwing one inning. They'll both need to pitch on back-to-back days — maybe twice — before coming off the disabled list, Collins said. ... LHP Jerry Blevins was unavailable out of the bullpen after pitching the previous two days.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams starts the series finale Wednesday night. Williams allowed one run over six innings Friday in a no-decision against Washington. He beat the Mets 7-2 at Citi Field last August.
Mets: LHP Jonathon Niese is 8-6 with a 3.00 ERA in 19 starts vs. Philadelphia, his most wins against any team. New York has won his last five starts against the Phillies. Niese went five innings in his first outing of the season at Atlanta, a no-decision.
