There was rhythmic clapping in Flushing, Queens coming from the sparse crowd in Citi FIeld when New York Mets' right-hander Matt Harvey got to two strikes against Washington Nationals' leadoff man Denard Span in the first at bat of tonight's game. Harvey got a swinging strikeout from Span with a 1-2 curve, then threw a tight slider by Anthony Rendon for back-to-back Ks to start the first game of three for the Nats in New York. Ryan Zimmerman's popout to second ended a 14-pitch, 1-2-3 opening frame for New York's right-hander. Ross Detwiler threw a 94 mph 1-2 heater by new Mets' leadoff man Eric Young for a swinging strike three and out no.1 of the home-half of the inning. Daniel Murphy fouled a 95 mph 1-2 fastball into Nats' catcher Kurt Suzuki's mitt for out and K no.2 for Detwiler, but the Nationals' lefty fell behind David Wright, 2-0, and gave up an opposite field single by the Mets' third baseman. Marlon Byrd's pop to right ended a 16-pitch inning for Detwiler. 0-0 in NY.
Matt Harvey collected two more Ks on the way to a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 third inning vs Washington. Adam LaRoche chased a 2-2 bender into the dirt. Jayson Werth K'd swinging through a 1-2 fastball and Nationals' shortstop Ian Desmond made it six of six set down by the Mets' apparently unhittable starter who was at 24 pitches overall after two scoreless frames. Ross Detwiler walked NY first baseman Josh Satin in a seven-pitch at bat in the bottom of the second. Back-to-back flies to Jayson Werth in right got the Nats' starter two quick outs and a called strike three on Omar Quintanilla ended an 18-pitch inning that left Detwiler at 34 total after two.
Harvey throws an electric fastball! It just looks so easy when he throws it! 95-100! #Fuego
— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) June 28, 2013
Roger Bernadina's groundout to second made it seven up and down for Matt Harvey. Kurt Suzuki battled for eight pitches before lining out to Eric Young in left. Ross Detwiler battled for ten pitches before striking out to end the third 1-2-3 inning by the Mets' hard-throwing right-hander. 9 up, 9 down. 43 pitches overall for Harvey after a 19-pitch inning. Ross Detwiler needed 14 pitches to get three groundouts in a 1-2-3 bottom of the third that had the Nationals' lefty at 48 overall after three innings in New York. 0-0 in Citi Field.
Denard Span tried to bunt his way on, but Matt Harvey threw a strike to first to make it ten batters in-a-row retired to start the game. Anthony Rendon lined to right for what looked like a hit until Marlon Byrd flew in and made a diving catch in right field. Ryan Zimmerman stepped in with two down and took a full-count change for a called strike three. 12 up and 12 down. 11-pitch frame.
Mets Nation! Are you watching this?! #Harvelous
— Jerry Seinfeld (@JerrySeinfeld) June 29, 2013
• David Wright ripped into a 2-1 change and got one by Ryan Zimmerman at third, sending a line drive to left off the Nats' third baseman's glove for a leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth. Ian Desmond had trouble with a bad hop on a grounder off Marlon Byrd's bat in the next AB, and the Nats' shortstop then bounced a throw to first that Adam LaRoche couldn't handle. E:6 on Desmond, ending a streak of 59-straight games without an error. When the ball got away from LaRoche, it hit Byrd and bounced into right field allowing David Wright score to make it 1-0 Mets. A double to right by Josh Satin fell in fair in the corner, sending Byrd over to third. After John Buck K'd swinging, the Nationals walked Juan Lagares intentionally before Detwiler Omar Quintanilla up for out no.2. Matt Harvey grounded back to the mound to end the fourth in the next at bat. 1-0 New York. 27-pitch inning for Detwiler. 75 overall.
Adam LaRoche's fly to right made it 13 straight outs recorded by Matt Harvey. Jayson Werth K'd swinging over a nasty two-strike slider. 14 straight. Matt Harvey tried to bust Ian Desmond inside with an 0-1 slider and left it up for the Nats' shortstop to crush for a solo home run to left that went out in a hurry over the bright yellow Wheat Thins sign on the outfield wall to tie it at 1-1. #TGTNH: There goes the no-hitter. 1-1 in New York after four and a half in Citi Field...
• Watch Desmond's HR:
Eric Young singled through short to start the bottom of the fifth. Daniel Murphy flew to shallow left where Roger "The Shark" Bernadina made an impressive running catch coming in. [CHOMP!] David Wright popped to second for out no.2, but Marlon Byrd lined to left field on a first-pitch sinker and doubled in Eric Young for a 2-1 Mets' lead. Josh Satin hit a 2-0 sinker to left to bring Byrd around with another double and it was 3-1 New York when the fifth inning came to an end. 23-pitch frame for Detwiler. 98 pitches total after five.
Detwiler's Line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 Ks, 98 P, 56 S, 6/4 GO/FO.
After Kurt Suzuki flew out to Juan Lagares in center, pinch hitter Steve Lombardozzi K'd swinging at a filthy 1-2 curve from Matt Harvey for the Mets' starter's eighth strikeout. Denard Span tripled to the right field corner with two down for the Nationals' second hit of the game off Harvey, but Anthony Rendon got up 2-0 against Harvey before striking out swinging at three-straight pitches, two 97 mph heaters followed by a nasty 90 mph slider. 86 pitches for Harvey after six. Ross Ohlendorf took over on the mound in the bottom of the inning. With one down, Juan Lagares doubled to right on a 95 mph 1-2 fastball from Ohlendorf, but two outs later, Lagares was stranded at third. 3-1 Mets after six in New York.
Ryan Zimmerman lined a 2-1 slider back up the middle for the Nationals' third hit of the night off Matt Harvey. Adam LaRoche K'd swinging through a 3-2 heater for out no.1 and K no. 10 for the Mets' right-hander. Jayson Werth battled for nine pitches before striking out on 97 mph fastball up high inside. Ian Desmond got the green light on a 3-0 pitch and fouled out behind first to end the top of the seventh on Matt Harvey's 109th pitch. Daniel Murphy singled to right to start the Mets' seventh. Two outs later he took second when Ross Ohlendorf threw a pick attempt by Nats' first baseman Adam LaRoche. Murphy then scored when Josh Satin lined to right-center for his third hit in three at bats, his second double of the night and second RBI hit. 4-1 New York after seven in Citi Field.
David Aardsma gave up a leadoff single to center by Roger Bernadina. Two outs later, after he got Kurt Suzuki looking and popped Chad Tracy up, the Mets went to the pen for Josh Edgin, and when he gave up a double by Denard Span, New York skipper Terry Collins went to the pen again for Brandon Lyon. Anthony Rendon stepped up as the tying run and walked to load the bases for Ryan Zimmerman... and Zimmermann took a 1-0 fastball for a ride to the left-center gap and by Eric Young. Three runs score. Tied up at 4-4. Scott Rice came on for the lefty vs lefty matchup with Adam LaRoche with Zimmerman on second, and got a swinging K from the Nats' first baseman. 4-4 after seven and a half.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!! Coming up big right when we needed him to! #captain#Nats
— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) June 29, 2013
Tyler Clippard gave up a one-out walk to Omar Quintanilla in the Mets' eighth. Pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin fell behind 0-2 quickly to Clippard and popped up for out no.2. Clippard missed inside and low with a 2-2 fastball to Eric Young to take it to a full count, and Young grounded weakly down the first base line allowing Kurt Suzuki to throw him out. Nice pick by LaRoche. 4-4 after eight.
Jayson Werth lined an 0-1 curve into the left-center gap and hustled out of the box, sliding in headfirst at second ahead of the throw in from Juan Lagares. Safe! Ian Desmond stepped up next against Bobby Parnell and went with an 0-1 fastball outside for an opposite field double to right that brought Werth home. 5-4 Nationals. Desmond took third on a Roger Bernadina fly to right and scored on a sac fly by Kurt Suzuki. 6-4 Nats after eight and a half. Drew Storen came out for the bottom of the ninth. Daniel Murphy grounded out to first. ONE!!! David Wright flew out to right field! TWO!! Marlon Byrd grounded out to third. Zim. Can. Pick it. Ballgame.
Nationals now 40-39