Chicago, IL – Matt Harvey drove the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and pitched 7 1/3 solid frames as the New York Mets defeated the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game series.
With one on and two out in the top of the seventh, Harvey singled to left and brought Rick Ankiel home to break a 2-2 tie.
"It was awesome," said Harvey. "I think we've been fighting to be able to do that for awhile. So, that was huge. Huge for me. Obviously, I was able to drive that run and we've got two in a row. We got to keep things going and go after them tomorrow."
Harvey (5-0) had six strikeouts and allowed two runs on five hits in his outing. Bobby Parnell pitched a flawless ninth to notch his fifth save.
David Wright and Daniel Murphy each hit solo home runs for the Mets, who snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 win in St. Louis on Thursday.
Cubs starter Edwin Jackson (1-6) gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings. Alfonso Soriano had an RBI and Anthony Rizzo scored on a throwing error by Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada.
"I think it's just been a mechanical thing," said Jackson. "I've been feeling pretty good mechanically ... but regardless how I feel, regardless how I looked, regardless how I pitched, the objective is to come out and win a game. And we battled today, but we came up short."
Wright's home run with two outs in the first gave the Mets an early lead.
The Cubs responded by scoring two runs in the home half. With one out, Castro singled and Rizzo ripped a double to left to put runners in scoring position. Soriano then hit an infield single that plated Castro, and Rizzo was able to score when Tejada's throw to first hit the dirt and got away from Ike Davis.
Murphy's leadoff homer in the fourth tied the game.
After Harvey's RBI single, the Cubs had an opportunity to tie the game in the eighth. Darwin Barney singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Julio Borbon. Scott Rice then came in to relieve Harvey, but gave up a single to David DeJesus. However, Barney was out at the plate thanks to a great throw by right fielder Marlon Byrd, who came in as a replacement for Jordany Valdespin.
Parnell pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to end the game.
Game Notes
Wright was 3-for-4 with a stolen base ... Davis snapped a 0-for-24 streak with a single in the sixth inning ... Rizzo has not struck out in his last 35 at- bats. His last strikeout came in the sixth inning against St. Louis on May 7.
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