SAN DIEGO — Matt Harvey’s dream of winning 20 games this season disappeared long ago, but can’t the Mets at least meet him halfway?
Another strong performance by the ace right-hander was flushed yesterday, leaving Harvey stuck at nine wins, in the Mets’4-3 loss to the Padres at Petco Park.
Will Venable’s homer leading off the ninth against Pedro Feliciano prevented the Mets from engaging in a 17th extra-inning game this season. The loss was the Mets’ second straight, giving them a split in the four-game series against the Padres.
Harvey allowed two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks over six innings. It came after a shaky six-inning performance against the Dodgers in which he allowed four earned runs and suffered a 4-2 loss.
In 25 appearances, Harvey has pitched 171 2/3 innings. That likely leaves the right-hander with five starts before he is shut down in the 210-215 innings range. The organization’s goal is to get Harvey and rookie Zack Wheeler, who is also facing an innings limit, as close to the final week of September as possible.
In his second game, catcher Travis d’Arnaud finished 0-for-2 with two walks. The rookie is hitless in four at-bats, but has walked four times in the two games for a .500 on-base percentage.
The Mets will complete their 11-game road trip today, when Dillon Gee faces Kyle Gibson in a makeup game in Minnesota. The game was postponed by wintery conditions at Target Field on April 14.
Chris Denorfia’s infield RBI single in the eighth against Gonzalez Germen yesterday made it 3-3 and ended Harvey’s shot at the win. Chase Headley’s double against Germen had put runners on second and third with one out before Denorfia’s slow bouncer to shortstop tied the game. Pedro Feliciano retired Jaff Decker with the bases loaded to keep the game tied.
Germen got a huge out in the seventh, retiring Jesus Guzman with the tying run at second base and two outs.
Andrew Brown’s pinch-hit RBI double in the seventh gave the Mets a 3-2 lead and put Harvey in position for the win. Omar Quintanilla doubled with two outs, and with Harvey due to bat Brown was summoned. Brown hit a shot over the center fielder Venable’s head that scored Quintanilla, but was left stranded when reliever Nick Vincent retired Eric Young Jr.
Brown continues continues to produce in a part-time role. He is
5-for-8 (.625) on the road trip, with five RBIs.
Harvey rolled into the fifth, but then watched the Padres tie the game on two singles and a hit batsman. Venable’s squib off Harvey’s outstretched glove gave the Padres their first run before Alexi Amarista tied it with a sacrifice fly moments later. Harvey plunked Logan Forsythe to begin the inning and watched Nick Hundley’s bloop to short right field drop for a single.
Wilmer Flores’ 10th RBI in as many games gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the fourth against Eric Stults. Marlon Byrd and Josh Satin delivered consecutive singles to start the inning before Flores’ sacrifice fly scored the run. Juan Lagares followed with a line-shot through the middle that Stults gloved and turned into an inning-ending double play.
Byrd’s RBI double in the first got the Mets started. Justin Turner, starting at second base to give Daniel Murphy a rest, smashed a triple with one out and scored on Byrd’s double.
mpuma@nypost.com
