All doubt surrounding Matt Harvey was put to rest Saturday when he led the Mets to a 4-2 win over the Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Harvey pitched 7 2/3 innings, despite constant concerns about his pitch count in his first year back from Tommy John surgery.
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Daniel Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud gave Harvey some run support when they belted solo home runs early in the game. Curtis Granderson also contributed with a hit and two RBIs.
Closer Jeurys Familia, who finally gave up his first baserunner of the playoffs in the eighth inning, did enough to close out the game when Murphy scooped up a hard-hit ground ball for the final out.
Here are five takeaways from Game 1:
1. The Mets can beat the Cubs. The Mets went 0-7 against the Cubs during the regular season and were outscored 27-11. But that didn't stop New York from taking Game 1 of the NLCS against Chicago.
There's no real reason for the Mets' struggles against the Cubs during the regular season. They were just cold when Chicago was hot. Even if there was a specific reason, the postseason is a different animal entirely. The games mean more, fans cheer louder and innings last longer. Maybe the Mets were just saving their best stuff for the playoffs.
2. Terry Collins' risky decision paid off. When the Mets' manager announced his decision to bench first baseman Lucas Duda for Michael Cuddyer becasue of recent struggles in the postseason and repeated struggles against Jon Lester, it generated a lot of negative buzz. But Cuddyer played six innings of solid defense and went 1 for 3 at the plate Saturday.
Duda went just 2 for 18 with 11 strikeouts and zero RBIs against the Dodgers in the NLDS, so the decision was justified even before the win. But it's always considered a bold move when a manger benches a starter.
3. Matt Harvey still has a lot of gas left in the tank. Before the start of the NLCS, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Harvey wasn't guaranteed two starts in the series because of his large innings total (189 1/3) during the regular season. But if Harvey felt any fatigue in his throwing arm, it didn't show Saturday.
The talented 26-year-old spun 7 2/3 innings of two-run baseball, striking out nine. Harvey said before the game that he'd be the "last person" to bring up an innings limit, and he pitched like a man on a mission against the Cubs. There was a nervous moment in the sixth inning when Dexter Fowler sent a line drive off Harvey's shoulder, but Harvey collected himself to throw Fowler out and stayed in the game. Expect to see Harvey back on the mound if the series lasts more than five games.
4. The Cubs need to be more patient at the plate. Harvey carried a perfect game into the fifth inning and only threw 71 pitches through the first six innings. Both of those stats are usually the product of an over-aggressive lineup, which is something the Cubs have struggled with all season, as they led MLB in strikeouts during the regular season with 1,518. The next highest total was 126 strikeouts behind them.
The Cubs recorded two outs on the first pitch through the first two innings Saturday, and it wasn't until catcher David Ross forced seven pitches in his at-bat in the third inning that Harvey had to throw more than five pitches to record an out. The Cubs need to work New York's young pitchers deeper into the count, forcing them to throw something they don't want to.
5. Kyle Schwarber continues to hit home runs. The 22-year-old rookie hit 16 home runs in just 69 games during the regular season and has continued to mash the baseball in the postseason. After hitting a three-run home run in the wild-card game against the Pirates, Schwarber added two more bombs in the NLDS against the Cardinals.
His fourth home run — a solo shot off Harvey in the eighth inning Saturday — might have been his most impressive, considering it tied him with Alex Gonzalez and Aramis Ramírez for a Cubs franchise record in a single postseason.
What's Next: Game 2, Sunday, Oct. 18, 8:07 p.m. ET on TBS — This game could produce a pitching duel for the ages as Jake Arrieta, arguably the best pitcher in baseball this season, faces off against Mets stud Noah Syndergaard.