Harvey’s winless streak hits 5 starts, Mets fall to Marlins

NEW YORK (AP) -- Matt Harvey came out blazing, quickly putting aside any of those "dead arm" issues the New York Mets worried about.

Throwing 99 mph heat, Harvey began with three perfect innings, striking out six. But then a bunt single broke the spell, and a three-run homer by rookie Justin Bour sent the Miami Marlins to a 4-3 victory Friday night.

The Mets' three-game winning streak ended while Harvey's winless string extended to five starts.

"Today, obviously felt better, felt stronger and like I was in control," Harvey said. "And then I leave a pitch over the middle and try to throw a slider backdoor and it kind of spun back over the middle and it cost us the game. Cost me the game."

Harvey (5-3) struck out 11, but fell to 0-3 in his last five outings, a string that includes two games in which he pitched shutout ball before leaving in the late innings.

The All-Star ace was coming off the worst start of his career, having been tagged for seven runs in four innings at Pittsburgh. After the game, the Mets said they worried the right-hander - coming back from Tommy John surgery this year - was having "dead arm" trouble.

"We really have to recognize the fact that he was so, so good two years ago before he got hurt, so good, that that's tough to live up to," manager Terry Collins said.

"Having the surgery and coming back, 15, 16 months later, even though we know his arm is healthy, it may take him a little bit to regain what we saw a couple of years ago. We are so spoiled because he was so great that when he's like everybody else and makes a couple of mistakes, we think there's something wrong. There's nothing wrong. He's going to be fine," he said.

Dee Gordon led off the fourth with a bunt single that drew boos from the fans at Citi Field, and. broke the spell with a bunt single to lead off the fourth, and stole his 20th base - he tops the majors in batting and steals.

Martin Prado followed with a walk and after Giancarlo Stanton flied out, Bour homered deep to right field. Bour has four homers and is hitting .361 since being promoted from Triple-A in late April.

Harvey took off his glove and slapped it against his left hand as he walked to the dugout, and pounded his hand on the bench.

"Nobody's more frustrated than I am about the last two outings," he said.

As for the "dead arm" concerns, Harvey said "using that word for people is kind of alarming."

"I didn't feel like I was dead. I felt like I was coming out of my mechanics," he said.

Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson homered for the Mets.

Dan Haren (5-2) limited the Mets to four hits in seven innings.

A.J. Ramos held on in the ninth for his third save as Miami stopped a three-game losing streak.

Ruben Tejada led off with a single, moved up on a wild pitch and scored when Daniel Murphy hit a blooper between shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and left fielder Christian Yelich and hustled for an RBI double.

Hechavarria was briefly shaken up after tumbling toward Yelich. Ramos struck out Michael Cuddyer and retired Wilmer Flores on a grounder for the final out.

"I thought with the next two guys coming up, they seem to get big hits. I didn't know about how we were going to win it, but I thought we'd tie it when Murph was standing at second, I thought one of the next two guys for sure was going to get a base hit," Collins said.

Prado added an RBI single in the fifth. Harvey gave up six hits in eight innings.

Duda connected for his third homer in two games, a drive into the second deck in the fourth. Granderson homered in the sixth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: RHP Jose Fernandez (Tommy John surgery) is set to throw 45 pitches at extended spring training Monday. RHP Jarred Cosart (vertigo) is scheduled to pitch against him.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (3-3, 3.44) pitched at nearby Stony Brook University. He's 0-2 with a 5.28 ERA in six games at Citi Field.

Mets: LHP Jonathon Niese (3-5, 4.08) is 4-0 in his last seven starts vs. the Marlins. Overall, he has permitted four earned runs or more in three straight starts for the first time in his career.

MATT STATS

Harvey matched a career-worst with three straight losses. He's also given up at least four earned runs in consecutive starts for the first time.

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