GOOD JOB, KID: Terry Collins takes the ball from Matt Harvey (right) in the sixth inning of the Mets’ 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks last night. Harvey allowed no runs in his major league debut. (AP)
PHOENIX — Matt Harvey belongs in the majors. He has known that for a long time, just listen to the stories his family told The Post last night at Chase Field.
After the success of his record-breaking winning debut, it looks like Harvey might be running his own California vineyard in 45 years.
The Mets’ Amazin’ rookie yanked his first warm-up pitch of the night, with the ball skipping all the way to the screen. After that, Harvey was completely at home on a major league mound as he dominated the Diamondbacks, striking out 11 over 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a 3-1 win, shattering the Mets debut record of eight strikeouts, set in 1967 by Tom Seaver and Bill Denehy.
Harvey even collected two hits, a double and a single, and he allowed just three hits.
You never know with rookie pitchers. Seaver went on to a Hall of Fame career and won 311 games. Denehy won one game. Either way, Harvey, 23, is on his way.
Manager Terry Collins said he thrilled with what he saw.
“I’ve talked to scouts who think he is a three or a four [starter], let me tell you something, that’s No. 1 kind of stuff right there, that’s [Justin] Verlander, [Stephen] Strasburg stuff,’’ he said.
Harvey had plenty of support on the home front, even though this was a road game. His mom Jackie, his dad Ed, his sister Jocelyn and Aunt Kathy Lanuza were in attendance, along with about 15 other members of the Harvey rooting section, including three coaches from North Carolina, where Harvey starred in college.
They were seated about 30 rows up from the Mets dugout.
“This is unbelievable,’’ said Ed Harvey, an accomplished high school and junior college baseball coach in Connecticut, in his 40th year of coaching, now an assistant at UConn-Avery Point. “To do as well as he’s done tonight, there are no words. I’ve been to a lot of games in my life but when I sat in my seat tonight it was like whoa.’’
When I told Mr. and Mrs. Harvey at their son broke a record set by Tom Seaver, Ed Harvey said, “Wow, pretty good company, a Hall of Famer. The expectations are going to be higher now.’’
Last night, Harvey looked so comfortable on the mound. It was his mound, his game.
“His focus has always been amazing, going back to Little League,’’ his dad said. “He really wanted this.’’
Explained Jackie, “One of his coaches said to me tonight, ‘I think [Matt] believes that he belonged here a long time ago.’ ’’
Jackie Harvey smiled, raised her hand about three feet off the ground and said, “Yes, a long time ago, since he was this tall.’’
From the first time I saw Matt Harvey pitch in May, 2011, I could tell he was going to be something special. It’s not just his right arm, it’s his approach.
“I play the game to win,’’ he said that day. “I want to be great, and I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen. I’m never satisfied.’’
Said Collins: “Matt Harvey doesn’t want to be a guy. He wants to be The Guy.’’
Harvey was just that last night, firing easy gas, 96-97-98 mph. A dominating pitcher changes everything. You never would have known the Mets had lost 11 of 12 games.
That’s what Matt Harvey can do on the mound.
“I like this guy a lot,’’ Collins said. “I liked this guy the first time I ever met him. He’s got a great passion to be good.’’
Collins said Wade Boggs once told him, “Few men dare to be great.’’
Said Collins of Harvey, “This guy wants to be great.’’
Harvey was 7-5 at Triple-A Buffalo with a 3.68 ERA over 20 starts. He clearly needed a new challenge. Matt Harvey showed the world last night what his family has known since he was just a kid in Connecticut.
Matt Harvey has the talent. Matt Harvey has the right stuff.