Mets 4, Cubs 2
NEW YORK - Right-hander Matt Harvey threw 7 2/3 impressive innings Saturday night and right fielder Curtis Granderson's RBI single in the fifth inning gave the New York Mets the lead for good in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field.
The Mets will attempt to take 2-0 series lead on Sunday, when rookie right-hander Noah Syndergaard takes the mound against Cubs ace right-hander Jake Arrieta.
Harvey, who has been the subject of an innings limit debate for weeks as he completes his first season following Tommy John elbow surgery, allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine. He recorded an out beyond the seventh inning for the first time since Aug. 11 and only the sixth time in 31 starts.
The effort certainly seemed to win over a bundled-up, towel-waving sellout crowd of 44,287, which serenaded him with chants of "HAR-VEY" all night. He exited to a standing ovation after giving up a solo homer to Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber.
Right-hander Jeurys Familia, two nights removed from a six-out save in the decisive Game 5 of the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowed a walk and a hit in recording the final four outs.
Second baseman Daniel Murphy homered in the first inning - he has homered in three straight games, a feat he has never achieved in the regular season - and catcher Travis d'Arnaud homered off the top of the home run apple in center field in the sixth for the Mets, who went 0-7 against the Cubs during the regular season. Granderson added a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
Shortstop Starlin Castro had an RBI double in the fifth for the Cubs' first hit off Harvey.
Cubs left-hander Jon Lester allowed four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out five over 6 2/3 innings.
The red-hot Murphy gave the Mets a quick lead in the first when he hit a two-out homer off the advertising signage along the second deck in right field.
Harvey retired the first 12 batters on 44 pitches before plunking first baseman Anthony Rizzo leading off the fifth. Rizzo scored on the next pitch, which Castro hit over the head of center fielder Juan Lagares for a double. One out later, shortstop Javier Baez singled to left but Castro was thrown out at home by Yoenis Cespedes.
The Mets went ahead in the bottom of the inning, when shortstop Wilmer Flores and Lagares each singled with one out. Flores was forced at third on a bunt by Harvey, after which Granderson singled home Lagares.
NOTES: Each team made one change to its NLCS roster. The Mets added LHP Sean Gilmartin and dropped RHP Erik Goeddel, who didn't record an out in his lone NL Division Series appearance. The Cubs added OF Quintin Berry and dropped IF Addison Russell, who sustained a hamstring injury in Game 3 of the NLDS. ... Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard, who threw an inning of relief in Thursday night's NLDS clincher, will start Game 2 on Sunday. ... Cubs LHP Jon Lester made his 14th career postseason start Saturday. The rest of the pitchers in the series have combined for 22 playoff starts - 10 by Mets RHP Bartolo Colon. ... Before Saturday, the last time the Cubs played a game this late in October was 1910, when Chicago lost Game 5 of the World Series on Oct. 23.