Harvey beats Braves in return to mound
NEW YORK -- Matt Harvey tossed 6 2/3 strong innings Thursday in his first major league start in over nine months, and Wilmer Flores hit a two-run homer as the New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves, 6-2, at Citi Field.
Harvey (1-0), who made his final start last season on July 4 and underwent surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome on July 18, allowed just two runs -- both on solo homers by Matt Kemp -- on three hits and no walks while striking out four.
He lasted more than six innings just twice in 17 starts last season.
Kemp's second homer chased Harvey before Jerry Blevins got the final out of the seventh. Fernando Salas worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and Addison Reed threw a perfect ninth inning in a non-save situation.
Kemp's first homer, in the fifth inning, gave the Braves a brief lead, but Travis d'Arnaud's two-run double in the bottom of the inning put the Mets ahead for good. Flores wrapped his homer around the left field foul pole in the sixth and Asdrubal Cabrera had an RBI single in the seventh, when Jose Reyes scored the final run on a throwing error by Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Braves left-hander Jaime Garcia (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out none in his Atlanta debut. Garcia, who was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in December, also underwent surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome in 2014.
NOTES: Day-long rains pelted the New York City area, but the game started on time and was played without interruption. ... The Braves signed their long-time nemesis, 1B Ryan Howard, to a minor league contract Thursday. General Manager John Coppolella said he hopes Howard, who spent his first 13 big league seasons with the Phillies and collected 52 homers and 155 RBIs against the Braves, can serve as a power bat off the bench for Atlanta. Howard will report to extended spring training before being assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Mets RHP Zack Wheeler is scheduled to make his first start in more than two years Friday, when he takes the mound against the Miami Marlins. Wheeler underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2015 and made just one minor league appearance last year.