Miss Universe delivered the first pitch Wednesday night, and the Mets’ one-time Mr. Universe handled the next 102 directed at the Reds. For Matt Harvey, the results were closer to what the Mets have come to expect than in recent outings.
The disclaimer is this: Harvey was facing an unsightly Reds lineup starved for major league hitters. But the righty was in control, regaining his strikeout pitch in a 5-2 victory at Citi Field that extended the Mets’ winning streak to six games.
Harvey (2-3) won his second straight start, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with a season-high seven strikeouts and one walk over six innings. It was an improvement over Harvey’s performance in Atlanta last Friday, in which he struggled to survive five innings with the lead.
“I still didn’t feel great all the time, for the entire outing,” Harvey said. “But, overall, I was able to stay in my mechanics a little bit better and kind of attack the hitters a little bit better. I’m definitely working in the right direction.”
Manager Terry Collins called it Harvey’s best performance of the season.
“We all expect great things out of these young guys because they are so talented,” Collins said. “But we need a little patience, also. When it comes back it’s going to be great and I think [Harvey] is making strides.”
This time Harvey rose to a crescendo, working a perfect sixth inning that included striking out pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco on his final pitch of the night. The Mets bullpen handled the rest, with Jim Henderson, Hansel Robles and Addison Reed combining for three perfect innings.
After nine straight games against the listless Phillies, Braves and Reds in which they went 8-1, the Mets could probably use a little competition. Maybe a test will come from the Giants, who are set to begin a three-game series at Citi Field on Friday before the Braves arrive in town for the final leg of the homestand.
Over the last three-plus seasons the Mets have won 11 straight against the Reds, tying the second-longest winning streak in franchise history against one opponent.
Harvey surrendered a run in the fifth on three singles that sliced the Mets’ lead to 3-2, but escaped further trouble by getting Devin Mesoraco to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Harvey’s only clean inning before his perfect sixth was the second, when Adam Duvall and Steve Schebler whiffed to make it five straight Reds strikeouts before the pitcher Jon Moscot made contact for a ground out.
Collins would like to see Harvey work deeper into the game — he still hasn’t lasted into the seventh inning this year — but is satisfied with the pitcher’s progress.
“As we’ve seen in the past sometimes guys with great stuff are hard to hit, so the foul balls end up piling up a pitch count on them,” Collins said. “That was part of the issue tonight, but I thought Matt threw the ball much better.”
Michael Conforto’s two-run double in the sixth gave the Mets a 5-2 cushion, placing Harvey firmly in line for his second straight win. Eric Campbell and Alejandro De Aza walked in the inning to start the rally.
Neil Walker’s solo homer in the third had extended the Mets’ lead to 3-1. The blast was Walker’s ninth — tying him with Dave Kingman, Carlos Delgado and John Buck for the franchise record in April.
The Mets scored two unearned runs in the first to take a 2-1 lead. Schebler dropped Lucas Duda’s routine fly ball to left, allowing a run to score, before Walker delivered an RBI single. De Aza’s single leading off started the rally.
Zack Cozart homered leading off the game for the Reds. Duda’s throwing error on a stolen-base attempt later in the first — Ivan DeJesus Jr., was caught in a rundown — extended the inning, forcing Harvey to face an additional batter and run his pitch count to 28.
“Obviously there were a few pitches here and there where I crept back to the old habits,” Harvey said. “But overall it was a good win for us.”
