Game #15: Mets 7, Nationals 1

The mantra of tonight's ballgame was "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." It was a running theme in both the inter- and intra-squad contests.

Ike Davis and Lucas Duda each went yard twice to help Matt Harvey and the Mets beat Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals, 7-1.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• In the first edition of a matchup that will define the next decade in the National League East, Matt Harvey outdueled Stephen Strasburg to become the first four-game winner in the majors. Harvey gave up a single run on 4 hits in 7 innings, walking 3 and striking out 7 on 105 pitches. After getting into trouble in his final frame (walk, single, single + run, error to lead the bases), the Harv buckled down to strike out Kurt Suzuki, get Roger Bernadina to pop up behind the plate, and forced a groundout by Denard Span to end the threat and earn a hearty handshake from the manager.
• On a night when there were fireworks on the mound, there were just as many at the plate for the team from New York. Ike Davis took Strasburg's first pitch of the 6th inning and deposited it in the left center stands to end a home slump and make it 3-0 home team. Two batters later, Lucas Duda had what Ike was having and blasted a solo home run to dead center. The knockout punch to Harvey-Strasburg I resulted in a resounding chorus of "HARVEY'S BETTER!" from the Citi Field crowd.
• After David Wright led off the 8th with a triple against Washington's Drew Storen, Davis continued his mojo and shot a rocket off the Pepsi Porch in right field. Two batters later,
• Scott Rice and Bobby Parnell each delivered 1-2-3 innings in relief, with Rice sitting down Bryce Harper and company in the 8th and Parnell nailing it down in the 9th for the bounceback win.

The Bad Stuff:

• Harvey and John Buck were having a bit of miscommunication in about the middle of his start, but it got worked out just fine.

Final Analysis:
With Dwight Gooden in the house, Matt Harvey was a Doctor on the mound. Harvey electrified the Flushing faithful in a way not seen since No-Han. But unlike Johan Santana's triumphant night, many, many repeat performances are expected in this case. The future is now for the Mets' budding ace, and this time the world is taking notice.

In other news, Davis and Duda showed more than just signs of life at the plate, giving fans a glimpse of what could become the next Bash Brothers duo (minus the 'roids, of course). If the D&D Boys can keep swinging like that, New York should regularly compete even with a weakened bullpen.

To make a long story short: great game. That is all.

MM