Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Michael Cuddyer's home run broke a scoreless tie and Daniel Murphy's three-run double added insurance to back a strong outing from Matt Harvey in the New York Mets' 4-0 win over the Washington Nationals.
Harvey (5-0) won his fifth straight start to begin the season, scattering five hits and a walk over seven scoreless frames. He is the first Mets pitcher to win his first five starts since Pedro Martinez in 2006.
New York halted its three-game losing streak.
"That's what the definition of an ace is," Cuddyer said of Harvey. "That's the true definition and he lived up to that tonight. And he pitched great."
Washington starter Max Scherzer (1-3) kept it a pitchers' duel most of the night until the Mets tacked on runs against the bullpen. Scherzer tossed seven innings and recorded double-digit strikeouts (10) for the first time in a Nationals uniform.
Michael Taylor and Wilson Ramos each had two hits in the setback.
Scherzer carried a no-hitter into the fourth, but Cuddyer changed that after a Lucas Duda strikeout, sending a deep drive to right center that cleared the wall and gave the Mets a 1-0 lead with one out.
"I'm not going to beat myself over that pitch," Scherzer said of Cuddyer's homer. "I left it over the middle, he put a pretty good swing on it and he was able to damage on it."
Harvey allowed a pair of two-out doubles in the third and fourth innings but worked around both to keep the Nationals scoreless.
Curtis Granderson hustled for a two-out double in the fifth and Juan Lagares followed with a single to right, where Bryce Harper came up throwing and nabbed Granderson at the plate.
Dan Uggla singled to begin the eighth off reliever Alex Torres, then Torres got pinch-hitter Tyler Moore to fly out to deep left before giving way to closer Jeurys Familia. Taylor stepped in and flied out to right, preceding Yunel Escobar's strikeout that ended the inning.
New York loaded the bases with one out off relievers Matt Thornton and Blake Treinen. Murphy came up and lined the first pitch he saw from Treinen out to left fielder Jayson Werth, who misplayed the ball by breaking in off the bat. The ball sailed over Werth's head and all three runners scored to make it 4-0.
Familia completed his 10th save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Game Notes
Harvey, who finished with three strikeouts, failed to punch out at least seven batters for the first time all season ... The Mets outhit Washington 8-6 ... Game time: 2:29.
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