What a masterful performance by Mets right hander Matt Harvey today as the Mets won their second straight game against the Minnesota Twins by the score of 4-2 at frigid Target Field.
Harvey thrilled Mets fans as he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning until Twins first baseman Justin Morneau ruined it when he cranked a towering shot off Harvey that just barely hit the foul pole – ending the no-hit bid and the shutout.
What a great effort by @MattHarvey33 who just gave us all a glimpse of the greatness still to come. #SimplyTheBest pic.twitter.com/OjIG8FS5Ap
— Metsmerized – Joe D (@MetsmerizedJoeD) April 13, 2013
Harvey, who came into the game with a 2-0 record and a 0.64 ERA after a pair of dominating starts against the Padres and Phillies, had allowed just two baserunners, both 4-pitch walks, through 6 2/3 innings before Morneau’s home run. He improved to 3-0 and shaved his ERA to 0.82. He has allowed six hits and six walks while striking out 25 in 22 innings this season. Six hits in three starts – that is not a typo!
Harvey had it all working as he stymied the Twins offense working his fastball up and down the ladder and went eight innings allowing just the one run on two hits while striking out six and walking two.
There is no way that I ever make any plans whenever @MattHarvey33 is on the mound. Nuh uh, won't do it… LGM pic.twitter.com/3QBZXXSTXX
— Metsmerized – Joe D (@MetsmerizedJoeD) April 13, 2013
Bobby Parnell came into close the game, but it was far from a cake walk as he allowed two hard hits and a run before getting the final out and picking up his first save of the season.
Marlon Byrd got the Mets on the board with a towering home run in the fifth to break the scoreless deadlock and put the Mets up 1-0. The Mets would score three more runs after the homer and set a new team record with seven consecutive base hits. That’s all great and all, but this game was all about Matt Harvey.
Morneau got lucky… We need to come up with a nickname for this kid… He's the real deal… Matt "THE REAL DEAL" Harvey !!! @MattHarvey33
— Dwight Gooden (@DocGooden16) April 13, 2013
Wow… Just wow…