Harvey loses third straight start, Mets fall 7-5 to Indians
CLEVELAND (AP) — Matt Harvey insists he isn't hurt, nor is he mentally fatigued from the New York Mets' long playoff run last season.
Whatever the reason for his woes, manager Terry Collins wants his ace to figure it out soon.
Harvey dropped his third straight start to open the season Saturday, allowing five runs in 5 2/3 innings as the Mets fell 7-5 to the Cleveland Indians.
"Right now, I'm concerned about him because he's just cruising along and it disappears fast," Collins said. "I've seen it before, but not with guys of his caliber. It's hard to explain and I don't have any answer for it. We've got to figure out why he's losing it so fast."
The right-hander retired the first 13 batters he faced before walking Carlos Santana, then unraveled after Jose Ramirez's two-out RBI double. The Indians scored twice in the fifth and three times in the sixth to seize a 5-1 lead.
"I felt fine and I was just cruising along, and obviously everybody watched what happened from there," said Harvey, who struck out the side in the first inning on 10 pitches. "No one is more frustrated than I am now. My job is to keep us in games and put up zeroes, and I'm not doing that."
The performance mirrored Harvey's last outing, when he mowed down 10 straight Phillies, but was tagged with a 5-2 loss. His season ERA is 5.71 and he has only nine strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings, including four against Cleveland.
Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run homer and Neil Walker added a solo shot in the eighth off Indians reliever Bryan Shaw to cut New York's deficit to 7-5. Kevin Plawecki led off the ninth with a walk, but Cleveland closer Cody Allen retired the next three to earn his third save.
Curtis Granderson belted the 36th leadoff homer of his career on the third pitch of the afternoon from Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin (1-0). The Mets entered the series with a major league-low two home runs, but have seven in two interleague games.
Cespedes and Walker have gone deep in both contests — and have three apiece on the year — as New York has scored 11 total runs at Progressive Field.
"I told the coaches the other day that when we get on the road, you'll see a different offense," Collins said. "There are a lot of things that go on in New York. When you go on the road, you can exhale."
Harvey has lost a career-high four decisions in a row, dating to last September. He also has allowed three-plus runs in three straight starts for the first time. He experienced blood clots in his bladder during spring training, but said they were not to blame.
"Matt's stuff is the same, it's just balls being left over the middle," Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said. "His slider still has action and his curveball is the same sharpness. You saw that in the first three innings, he was great. This was one of those days where you tip your hat to (the Indians)."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: C Travis d'Arnaud (left elbow bruise) left after being hit by a pitch from Zach McAllister in the seventh. He underwent X-rays, which were negative, and is considered day-to-day.
Indians: OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) and OF Lonnie Chisenhall (left wrist soreness) both went 0 for 3 with a walk Saturday on their rehab assignments at Double-A Akron.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP Steven Matz surrendered a career-high seven runs in a career-low 1 2/3 innings in his only start of the season, a 10-3 loss to the Marlins.
Indians: RHP Corey Kluber has lost his first two starts, allowing seven runs in 13 innings. He won his only previous outing against the Mets in 2013.