Harvey brilliant again for St. Lucie

With the way Matt Harvey is pitching, he likely won't be in the Florida State League much longer.

Harvey tied a career high with nine strikeouts and gave up just one hit over 6 1/3 shutout innings Wednesday before the St. Lucie Mets dropped a 5-2 decision to the Bradenton Marauders.

The seventh overall pick in last year's Draft took a perfect game into the fifth but surrendered a one-out single to Calvin Anderson. After Adalberto Santos walked, Harvey retired the next two batters.

Bradenton threatened again in the sixth when Robbie Grossman drew a one-out walk, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error by catcher Francisco Pena. But Harvey stranded him there by fanning Jarek Cunningham and Evan Chambers.

The 21-year-old right-hander leads the league with a 1.10 ERA and is tied for first with four wins. He's second with 39 strikeouts over 32 2/3 innings and has held opponents to a .207 average.

After winning his first four starts, Harvey faced the Marauders on April 28 and suffered his first loss. He was reached for six runs -- four runs -- on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings. On Wednesday, the Connecticut native faced three batters over the minimum and failed to allow an earned run for the fifth time in six starts.

Harvey fanned Aaron Baker leading off the seventh, but Bradenton promptly grabbed the lead against the Mets bullpen. Grossman highlighted the five-run rally with a two-run single off Rhiner Cruz (2-1).

Rehabbing Mets outfielder Angel Pagan tripled and scored a run in four plate appearances. Two-time FSL Player of the Week Matt Den Dekker lifted a sacrifice fly and Jefry Marte reached base three times and scored once for St. Lucie.

Diego Moreno (1-1) got the win, despite yielding a run on two hits in two innings of relief.