NEW YORK -- See, that 0-7 record against the Chicago Cubs during the regular season was irrelevant.
Matt Harvey retired the first dozen batters he faced in a strong 7 2/3-inning performance and Daniel Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud homered as the New York Mets beat the Cubs 4-2 in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Saturday night at Citi Field.
The crowd was announced at 44,287 -- the second-largest attendance in Citi Field history, trailing only the 2013 All-Star Game, which was also started by Harvey.
Curtis Granderson delivered a tiebreaking RBI single with an 0-2 count and two outs in the fifth. D'Arnaud’s long ball an inning later struck the “Home Run Apple” in dead center for a two-run cushion. Juan Lagares then scampered home in the seventh on a shallow sacrifice fly to cap the scoring against Jon Lester and provide a 4-1 lead.
Harvey departed after surrendering a two-out solo homer to Kyle Schwarber in the eighth that pulled Chicago within two runs.
Jeurys Familia, who had a six-out save in Game 5 of the division series on Thursday at Dodger Stadium, this time recorded the final four outs.
The lone run against Harvey before Schwarber’s homer resulted from a misplay by Lagares in center in the fifth.
Harvey was drilled in the back of his upper right arm by a line drive off the bat of Dexter Fowler to open the sixth. The Dark Knight recovered the baseball and completed the play, then shooed away trainers. In the seventh, Harvey consecutively struck out Javier Baez and pinch hitter Tommy La Stella to strand two baserunners and preserve a 3-1 lead. He ultimately limited the Cubs to two runs on four hits while striking out nine in 7 2/3 innings.
The Mets were winless against the Cubs during the regular season, but that came with David Wright and d’Arnaud injured; Michael Conforto still in the minors; and Yoenis Cespedes, Kelly Johnson, Tyler Clippard and Addison Reed not yet acquired.
Thumbs up: Murphy, the hero of Game 5 of the division series, continued his torrid postseason. Murphy delivered a first-inning solo homer to open the scoring. He now has four postseason homers, matching Carlos Delgado (2006), Mike Piazza (2000) and Rusty Staub (1973) for the most in a single postseason in franchise history, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Two of Murphy’s long balls came against Clayton Kershaw, with one apiece versus Zack Greinke and Lester. Murphy joined Donn Clendenon (Oct. 12-16, 1969) as the only players in franchise history to homer in three straight postseason games. Murphy had only one homer in 126 at-bats against left-handed pitching during the regular season. He now has three in six postseason games.
Thumbs down: The 2014 Gold Glove winner Lagares, primarily in the lineup for his fielding, misjudged Starlin Castro's shot to center field in the fifth inning. The catchable ball instead sailed over Lagares’ head for an RBI double that evened the score at 1-1. It was the first hit against Harvey. Harvey had drilled the preceding batter, Anthony Rizzo, with a 90 mph fastball to open the fifth. That had been the first baserunner against Harvey. Cespedes did throw out Castro at the plate on Javier Baez’s ensuing one-out single to left field to preserve a tie score.
Meanwhile, Wright is 1-for-19, albeit with six walks, in the postseason. Wright took a called third strike with two on base to end the fifth after Granderson’s RBI single gave the Mets a 2-1 lead.
What’s next: After initial uncertainty because of the volume of pitches he threw at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, Noah Syndergaard will start Game 2 of the NLCS on Sunday at 8:07 p.m. ET at Citi Field. Syndergaard opposes Cy Young candidate Jake Arrieta.