NEW YORK (AP) -- Matt Harvey outpitched Max Scherzer, barely, and the New York Mets backed their ace with a lot of fancy fielding before breaking away from the Washington Nationals 4-0 Friday night.Michael Cuddyer homered early as the Mets stopped their longest losing streak of the year at three. Daniel Murphy added a three-run double in the eighth inning when left fielder Jayson Werth mistakenly broke in and then slipped trying to recover. 
The Nationals, who had won 15 of their last 16 at Citi Field, were denied a season-high four-game winning string.Harvey (5-0) became the first five-game winner in the majors, giving up five hits and striking out three in seven innings. He's won every time he's started this year after missing last season while recuperating from Tommy John surgery.Scherzer (1-3) fanned 10, and also allowed five hits in seven innings. But Cuddyer tagged him for a drive in the fourth, leaving Scherzer with only one win in five starts despite a 1.26 ERA.Mets manager Terry Collins left no doubt how much this early matchup between his surprising club and the favored Nationals meant. He brought in Jeurys Familia with a 1-0 lead to get five outs, and the closer responded for his 10th save in as many chances.On the day that Major League Baseball began implementing warnings and fines under its pace of play rules, there was no dawdling. On a brisk night, it was a brisk game in 2 hours, 29 minutes.The Mets kept things moving with their defense.Gold Glove center fielder Juan Lagares raced in to rob Ian Desmond - now in an 0-for-29 slump - and first baseman Lucas Duda neatly reached into the stands to grab a foul pop.Rookie catcher Kevin Plawecki protected the one-run lead by throwing out Bryce Harper trying to steal second to end the sixth. Originally called safe, Harper was erased after Collins called for a replay challenge.Shaky shortstop Wilmer Flores made his seventh error, but second baseman Dilson Herrera - promoted from Triple-A hours earlier - helped out on a pair of double plays.The Nationals also were sharp with their gloves, until Werth's misplay. Center fielder Michael Taylor raced way back and reached real high to catch Plawecki's shot to the warning track. Harper later threw out Curtis Granderson at the plate when he tried to score from second on a single.
The Nationals, who had won 15 of their last 16 at Citi Field, were denied a season-high four-game winning string.Harvey (5-0) became the first five-game winner in the majors, giving up five hits and striking out three in seven innings. He's won every time he's started this year after missing last season while recuperating from Tommy John surgery.Scherzer (1-3) fanned 10, and also allowed five hits in seven innings. But Cuddyer tagged him for a drive in the fourth, leaving Scherzer with only one win in five starts despite a 1.26 ERA.Mets manager Terry Collins left no doubt how much this early matchup between his surprising club and the favored Nationals meant. He brought in Jeurys Familia with a 1-0 lead to get five outs, and the closer responded for his 10th save in as many chances.On the day that Major League Baseball began implementing warnings and fines under its pace of play rules, there was no dawdling. On a brisk night, it was a brisk game in 2 hours, 29 minutes.The Mets kept things moving with their defense.Gold Glove center fielder Juan Lagares raced in to rob Ian Desmond - now in an 0-for-29 slump - and first baseman Lucas Duda neatly reached into the stands to grab a foul pop.Rookie catcher Kevin Plawecki protected the one-run lead by throwing out Bryce Harper trying to steal second to end the sixth. Originally called safe, Harper was erased after Collins called for a replay challenge.Shaky shortstop Wilmer Flores made his seventh error, but second baseman Dilson Herrera - promoted from Triple-A hours earlier - helped out on a pair of double plays.The Nationals also were sharp with their gloves, until Werth's misplay. Center fielder Michael Taylor raced way back and reached real high to catch Plawecki's shot to the warning track. Harper later threw out Curtis Granderson at the plate when he tried to score from second on a single.
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