Harvey outduels Scherzer to end Nats' winning streak

FLUSHING, N.Y. - A night before the world will convene for the largest boxing event of the decade, two of major league baseball's heavyweight pitchers battled it out at Citi Field. Mets right-hander Matt Harvey outdueled Nationals ace Max Scherzer as the Mets won this decision 4-0.

Mets left fielder Michael Cuddyer delivered the damaging blow to Scherzer on a one-out solo home run in the fourth. That was all the Mets needed as Harvey danced through the Nats lineup, allowing just six base runners on five hits and one walk in seven innings in the 4-0 victory.

"Marquee matchup," Nats left fielder Jayson Werth said. "Those two guys out there, working fast, getting outs. I thought we were gonna get to Harvey. He pitched good though. Both guys pitched good. Kind of a big time pitchers' duel May 1. Pretty cool game. It's unfortunate we ended up on the wrong side."

Harvey is now 5-0, with two of the wins coming against the Nats, as he has held them scoreless over 13 innings while only surrendering 10 hits and striking out 12.

"We had some chances," Nationals manager Matt Williams lamented. "We had a couple, three of them, but he made the pitches when he needed to. Didn't happen for us tonight."

The Nats' best chance actually came once Harvey left the game. With one on and no outs in the eighth, Williams called on outfielder Tyler Moore to pinch-hit against Mets lefty Carlos Torres. Moore lifted a fly ball deep to the power alley in left-center that seemed to save the night for the Nats, but it fell just shy of the wall and into the glove of Cuddyer.

"Kinda heartbreaking," Moore said. "Just put a good swing on it and just kinda went off the end a little bit. I don't think the ball was carrying that great. Just tried to do something for these guys that were fighting all night tonight. Didn't go our way."

The Nats lost the chance to even it up with one swing when relievers Matt Thornton and Blake Treinen combined to give up three runs in the bottom of the eighth. After Thornton yielded back-to-back singles to Mets center fielder Juan Lagares and first baseman Lucas Duda, Williams went to the righty Treinen. A walk to Cuddyer loaded the bases. Third baseman Daniel Murphy then ripped a liner to left field that Werth misplayed into a bases-clearing double to give the Mets all the breathing room they needed.

"I don't think I got the best read," Werth said. "I broke in. Even so, if I don't slip, I still catch it. Almost caught it anyways. But I just slipped. I don't remember the last time I slipped on the field. But either way, we still gotta score a couple runs there. I think that was more the issue tonight."

For Scherzer, the loss drops him to 1-3 in five starts, despite a spectacular 1.26 ERA. He was dominant at times, striking out 10, while only giving up the one run on five hits. It's the 26th time in his career that Scherzer has reached 10 or more strikeouts in a game in his career.

Tonight, though, it was Harvey who won the fight.

"He's a great pitcher," Scherzer said. "It's fun. You want to face those guys and you want to beat those guys. Unfortunately we came out on the wrong side tonight, but you gotta bring your 'A' game in this situation. I just got beat on a couple pitches tonight and you just lick your wounds and get ready for your next start next time."