MLB

What’s new? Mets waste another solid Harvey start in loss to Padres

MATT’S A SHAME: Mets ace Matt Harvey, who allowed two runs on six hits over six innings while striking out six, delivers a pitch during the first inning of the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Padres yesterday. (Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO — Matt Harvey’s dream of winning 20 games this season disappeared long ago, but can’t the Mets at least meet him halfway?

Another strong performance by the ace right-hander was flushed yesterday in the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Padres at Petco Park, leaving Harvey stuck at nine wins.

Will Venable’s homer leading off the ninth against Pedro Feliciano (0-2) kept the Mets from engaging in a 17th extra-inning game. The loss was the Mets’ second straight, giving them a split in the four-game series.

Harvey, who has just two wins in his past nine starts, allowed two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks over six innings and saw his ERA rise to 2.25. The Padres’ “big” inning against him consisted of a hit batter, bloop single, squib single and sacrifice fly that produced two runs in the fifth. The Mets fell to 13-12 in Harvey’s starts.

“It’s been happening quite a bit,” Harvey said, referring to the Mets’ struggle to score runs for him. “And obviously a start like today I needed to go out and not give up runs like I did in the fifth inning. If I don’t do that, if I make that play in the fifth and we’re up 2-1, maybe I’m still in the ballgame.”

The play in question was Venable’s one-hop squib that bounced off Harvey’s outstretched glove, giving the Padres their first run.

Before the season, manager Terry Collins projected Harvey could win 17-18 games if he surpassed 200 innings, but the right-hander took the challenge further, saying his goal would be 20 victories.

“Is he frustrated? Of course he’s frustrated, he’s a human being,” Collins said. “He’s a guy who wants to win. He goes out there and competes, he wants to win every game.

“There’s not anybody that I’ve been around that has got better makeup and competes. Of course he’s frustrated, but he also knows he’s got no control over that. He has control over getting outs, and for the most part he’s done his job all year.”

In 25 appearances, Harvey has pitched 171 2/3 innings. That likely leaves him with five starts before he is shut down in the 210-215 innings range. The organization’s goal is to get Harvey and rookie Zack Wheeler, who also is facing an innings limit, as close to the final week of September as possible.

The Mets will complete their 11-game road trip today, when Dillon Gee faces Kyle Gibson in a makeup game in Minnesota. The game was postponed by wintery conditions at Target Field on April 14.

Chris Denorfia’s infield RBI single in the eighth against Gonzalez Germen yesterday made it 3-3 and ended Harvey’s shot at the win. Chase Headley’s double against Germen had put runners on second and third with one out before Denorfia’s slow bouncer to shortstop tied the game. Feliciano then retired Jaff Decker with the bases loaded to keep the game tied.

Andrew Brown’s pinch-hit RBI double over Venable’s head in center in the seventh — hitting for Harvey — gave the Mets a 3-2 lead. Omar Quintanilla doubled with two outs, and Brown was summoned to hit for Harvey.

After Venable’s squib off Harvey’s glove in the fifth gave the Padres their first run, Alexi Amarista tied it with a sacrifice fly. Harvey plunked Logan Forsythe to begin the inning and watched Nick Hundley’s bloop to short right field drop for a single.

“It was a tough inning,” Harvey said. “Obviously things weren’t quite going my way that inning and the ball was just out of my reach, and I feel like I should have made that play. It didn’t work out that way and I made good pitches and they just put them in play and found some holes.”

Wilmer Flores’ 10th RBI in as many games, on a sacrifice fly, gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the fourth against Eric Stults. Marlon Byrd’s RBI double in the first got the Mets started. Justin Turner, starting at second base to give Daniel Murphy a rest, smashed a triple to start the rally.

Harvey’s best inning was the second, when he struck out the side, including Forsythe on a 96-mph heater to end the inning.

“Matt pitched great,” Collins said. “Cripes, they got a bloop single, an infield single, and we were in trouble. He’s done what he’s done all year for us, and that’s pitch very well.”