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Mets turn to Harvey in battle with Cardinals

Sep 4, 2012 - 2:56 PM (Sports Network) - Rookie right-hander Matt Harvey makes his first career appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday when the New York Mets visit them in the second of three games at Busch Stadium.

Harvey, a 6-foot-4, 225-pounder, debuted with a 3-1 defeat of the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 26, then went three straight starts without a win while allowing 14 hits and 10 runs in 17 innings between July 31-Aug. 10.

He bounced back for an 8-4 defeat of Cincinnati on Aug. 16 after giving up a run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings and has allowed no more than two runs in either of two subsequent starts - including a no-decision against Colorado and a 3-2 defeat of the Philadelphia Phillies.

In 42 1/3 career innings across seven starts, he's allowed 30 hits and 13 earned runs while striking out 49 and allowing a .197 batting average.

Prior to reaching the majors, Harvey made 20 starts in 2012 at Triple-A Buffalo and was 7-5 with a 3.68 earned run average in 110 innings.

The Cardinals oppose him with Mexican-born lefty Jaime Garcia, who won 13 games in each of the last two seasons with St. Louis.

The 26-year-old has been limited to just 14 starts so far in 2012 after making 32 last season. He was shelved between June 5-Aug. 19 by injury and hasn't won since May 16 in San Francisco.

In that game, a 4-1 defeat of the Giants, Garcia allowed a run on nine hits in 7 1/3 innings.

In six starts since, he's 0-4 and has seen his ERA rise from 3.68 to 4.52.

He's 1-0 in three career starts against the Mets.

On Monday, Skip Schumaker went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and Allen Craig collected two hits and knocked in a run as the Cardinals edged the Mets, 5-4.

Matt Carpenter drove in a pair of runs and Yadier Molina had an RBI for the Cardinals, who won for just the second time in their last seven games.

Joe Kelly (5-6) earned the win after allowing just two runs on five hits with four strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.

Jason Motte recorded the final two outs in the eighth inning and stranded a runner in the ninth to earn his 33rd save of the year.

Kelly Shoppach and Daniel Murphy each stroked two-run homers for the Mets, who fell for the second time in nine tries.

Collin McHugh (0-1) allowed four runs on six hits over four innings to absorb the loss.

The teams have split season series in 2010 and 2011, with the Cardinals last winning, five games to four, in 2009. New York three of four games in 2012 when the teams played at Citi Field from June 1-4.