Matt Harvey pitched 7 2/3 dominant innings for the Mets as they took down the Cubs 4-2 on Saturday night in the opening game of the NLCS at Citi Field. It’s the Mets’ first Championship Series win since Game 6 in 2006 against the Cardinals.
Daniel Murphy opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run off of Cubs starter Jon Lester. Curtis Granderson broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth with an RBI single. Travis d’Arnaud tacked on a monster solo homer in the sixth and Granderson contributed a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Harvey hit Anthony Rizzo with a pitch to open up the fifth, then gave up a double to center field off the bat of Starlin Castro in the top of the fifth, leading to the first of his two runs. With two outs in the eighth, Harvey served up a no-doubt solo homer to right-center to Kyle Schwarber before exiting the game. He finished allowing the two runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. Lester lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Closer Jeurys Familia took over for Harvey with two outs in the eighth and walked Kris Bryant, but got out of the inning when Anthony Rizzo grounded out to shortstop. In the ninth, Familia got Starlin Castro to pop up and Jorge Soler to strike out for two quick outs. Miguel Montero kept hope alive with a single, which ended a streak of 18 consecutive batters retired in the post-season by Familia. Daniel Murphy made an outstanding play on a Tommy La Stella well-struck one-hopper to end the game with a 4-2 win for the Mets.
Murphy’s homer was his fourth this post-season, tying a Mets post-season record.
The two squads will face off in Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday at 8:00 PM EDT. Jake Arrieta will start for the Cubs against Noah Syndergaard of the Mets.