Nationals (39-39) at Mets (32-43)
LHP Ross Detwiler (2-6, 4.18) vs RHP Matt Harvey (7-1, 2.05)
Starting Lineup
- Eric Young Jr., LF
- Daniel Murphy, 2B
- David Wright, 3B
- Marlon Byrd, RF
- Josh Satin, 1B
- John Buck, C
- Juan Lagares, CF
- Omar Quintanilla, SS
- Matt Harvey, P
Game Notes
Matt Harvey (7-1, 2.05) leads the National League in strikeouts (121), and leads Major League Baseball in opponent batting average (.188) and WHIP (0.88). And he should be well-rested, since he flew back to New York ahead of the team to prepare for Friday night’s game.
Harvey’s 191 strikeouts are the sixth-most since 1916 after his first 26 starts. Only Kerry Wood (233), Hideo Nomo (223), Dwight Gooden (214), Mark Prior (199) and Yu Darvish (196) had more.. He also has four double-digit strikeout games this year, the most in the National League. Opponents have swung and missed at least 10 times in each of Matt Harvey’s last 19 starts, the longest current streak against any major league pitcher.
Dan Warthen went to work with Zack Wheeler on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field, trying to get the rookie to avoid tipping his pitches, which became an issue against the Chicago White Sox in Wheeler’s last outing.
Marlon Byrd now has 12 homers, tied with David Wright and John Buck for the team lead. Byrd also threw out Michael Cuddyer trying to stretch a leadoff single into a double in the bottom of the ninth for his fifth outfield assist of the season.
Eric Young has six RBI in his last six contests, including a six-game hitting streak (12-26, .462). Young is hitting .382 (13-34) with four runs scored, four doubles and six RBI in eight games with the Mets.
Game Preview
The Mets, fresh off of a successful road trip, come back home to the Nationals tonight. It feels like, at least recently, that the Mets fall flat in Colorado but Byrd helped reverse that by hitting a go ahead homer late in the game and making a key throw in the next half inning to keep the Mets in the lead.
How rude of me. I forgot to wish you a HAPPY HARVEY DAY. Matt will be starting for the Amazin’s tonight as he goes up against Ross Detwiler.
Matt Harvey is 7-1 with a league leading 2.05 ERA over 110.0 innings of work this year. He was dominant in his last outing going 6 shutout innings striking out 6 batters. He could have gone a lot farther, in fact it looked like during that game he could go the distance, if it wasn’t for the umpires calling a 30+ minute rain delay. His start against the Nationals earlier this year was a statement game as he allowed 1 run over 7 innings against Strasburg. The Nationals have the following numbers against Harvey:
Desmond 2-4
LaRoche 1-5
Werth 0-4
Lombardozzi 0-5
Suzuki 0-5
Span 1-4
Ross Detwiler is 2-6 on the season over 11 starts pitching 60.1 innings with a 4.18 ERA. He has struggled in his last two starts allowing 4 ER over 6 and then 7 ER over 3.2 innings. Last year he was 3-0 over 18.0 innings of work against the Mets posting a 1.80 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
Wright 6-15, 3 2B, HR
Buck 3-8
Murphy 1-7
Byrd 0-5
Young 1-2
Lets Go Mets!
