While Matt Harvey’s record remains unblemished, he is slowly figuring out that not every major league team will cower to his filthy fastball-slider combo. The Reds scored four runs off Harvey through six plus innings, before eventually taking the lead in the ninth off closer Bobby Parnell.
Harvey was able to strike out six and keep his season ERA below two, but he had to throw a stressful 116 pitches and left with the Mets down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth. A Joey Votto two-run homer gave the Reds an early lead after Harvey served up a fastball right down the middle on a 3-0 pitch that Votto drove the other way.
After taking the lead and knocking Harvey out in the seventh, the Reds gave the lead right up as a Rick Ankiel triple tied the score and gave Ankiel his second RBI of the day. The Mets were able to knock Reds’ starter Mat Latos out of the game in the seventh and put the game in the hands of the two bullpens.
In the ninth the Reds began to get the lucky breaks as a Brandon Phillips bouncer to first got by Ike Davis to push the Reds in front. Todd Frazier followed two batters late with a bloop single up the middle that made the score 7-4. Aroldis Champan struck out two in the ninth for his 10th save.
The Mets next play Friday as they host the division leading Atlanta Braves.