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New York Mets RHP Matt Harvey held the Marlins to one run and four hits in seven innings in a 1-0 loss on Sunday.

“He felt good about what he did today, how he got through it,” manager Terry Collins said after the game. “He kept the damage down and pitched great.”

The only run against Harvey on Sunday was the result of a ground ball up the middle by Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto that drove in Derek Dietrich in the fifth inning.

After allowing 16 earned runs and 27 hits in three starts from May 13 to May 24, Harvey has given up just one run and six hits in 14 innings in his last two starts

Video: Collins, Harvey, and Rivera on Mets loss

Harvey said he worked between starts to correct mechanical and mental issues, while facing live hitters instead of simply throwing to only his catcher.

“It’s still two starts,” Harvey said. “Obviously, the massive struggles that happened before, the only thing you want to think of is not letting that creep back in. Today was, you could say, a second step from the last start. Obviously, going deep into the game and feeling pretty good, it’s a positive.”

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I realize Harvey doesn’t want to get too excited, which makes sense, but I’m excited for him. He should remain calm, even keel, shake off success like failure and look forward to his next start. However, for a fan that does worry — and as someone who picks apart every start and dwells on it for days — I’m pumped. He looks really, really good. Frankly, when he was struggling, he always looked good the first inning or two; it was later in the game that his velocity dipped, and because he wasn’t commanding his secondary pitches, he got tattooed. In his last two starts, either because he’s gripping the ball differently, because he shortened his stride or because he simply feels better about himself, he’s sustaining his success the entire game. His fastball hit 98 mph Sunday and sat around 95-96, and he had a 90-mph slider going that he finally used significantly more than his change up and curve ball. I like what I see.

To read more about Harvey’s start on Sunday, check out reports in the New York Post, Daily News, New York Times, Newsday, Bergen Record, ESPN.com, NJ.com and MLB.com.

The Mets won two of three from the Marlins this past weekend in Miami, though they lost, 1-0, on Sunday in the series finale, which you can read more about here…

Juan Lagares has a sprained left thumb, which he suffered while making a diving catch Saturday. He will be re-evaluated Monday in New York.

James Loney hit his first home run with the Mets in the seventh inning of Friday’s game, which proved to be the game’s deciding hit.

Travis d’Arnaud went 1 for 5, as he began a rehab stint with High-A St. Lucie on Sunday.

Yoenis Cespedes was out of the starting lineup Sunday for the second straight day due to a sore right hip, though he pinch hit for Matt Harvey in the eighth inning.

Michael Conforto will continue to start in the outfield, despite being in a prolonged slump, Terry Collins told reporters Saturday.

The Mets expect to have RHP Zack Wheeler return to the major leagues in mid-July after the All-Star Game, team officials told reporters Friday.

David Wright has been put on the 15-day disabled list due to a herniated disk in his neck. He will not resume baseball activity for six-to-eight weeks. Matt Reynolds was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Wright’s spot on the roster.

The Mets and Pirates begin a three-game series tonight at 7:05 p.m. ET in PNC Park.

Neil Walker, who grew up in Pittsburgh, and played his entire career with the Pirates before being traded to the Mets this past December, said the homecoming will special, but emotional.

The Mets acquired Walker by dealing Jon Niese (5-2, 4.36 ERA), who will start tonight against Steven Matz (7-1, 2.60).

“I’m gonna treat it as any other start,” Niese told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “They’re gonna want me. I’m gonna want them. But, it’s all about execution.”

For every Mets home run hit at Citi Field® this season, Citi will show their appreciation to No Kid Hungry with a $2,000 donation to help fight childhood hunger. Every dollar donated provides 10 healthy meals. Thanks to Neil Walker’s home run in yesterday’s home game against the White Sox, Citi is donating another $2,000 to kids in need.

Visit mets.com/citi to see this season’s grand total to date.

Matt Harvey turned in his second consecutive strong start but Jose Fernandez was dominant in salvaging a game for the Marlins, who defeated the Mets, 1-0, on Sunday at Marlins Park. >> Read the full AP recap at SNY.TV.

Video: Matt Harvey strikes out Justin Bour, 500th of career

In case you missed it…

Harvey completed seven innings for the second straight start, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts. After allowing 16 earned runs and 27 hits in his previous 13 1/3 innings spanning three starts, Harvey has yielded just one run and six hits in his last 14 innings.

Fernandez tied his career high with 14 strikeouts and improved to 23-1 at Marlins Park. The right-hander has won eight consecutive starts and has not lost since April 23.

Yoenis Cespedes was out of the starting lineup for the second straight day due to a sore right hip. He pinch hit for Harvey in the eighth and flied out.

Video: Matt Harvey strikes out Martin Prado

Quotes…

Terry Collins on Harvey: “I thought he really pitched today. He moved the ball around and we saw him pitch inside. He made very few mistakes. I think it’s going to ease Matt’s mind most of all, and that’s the one that counts. I thought he threw the ball great. He felt good about what he did today, how he got through it, and cut the damage down and pitched great. It was one of those games, a great pitching matchup head-to-head. That’s exactly what you’d expect, a 1-0 game.”

Harvey on his outing: “It’s still two starts. Obviously, the massive struggles that happened before, the only thing you want to think of is not letting that creep back in. Today was, you could say, a second step from the last start. Obviously, going deep into the game and feeling pretty good, it’s a positive.”

News and notes…

The Mets are 5-1-3 in their first nine road series in 2016. They were 2-6-1 in their first nine last season.

New York’s record in one-run games dropped to 11-8.

Juan Lagares was also out of the lineup with what the team preliminarily called a sprained left thumb he suffered making a diving catch on Saturday. He will be examined in New York on Monday.

Video: Matt Harvey strikes out Derek Dietrich

What’s next…

The Mets (31-24) will see a familiar face on the mound for the Pirates (30-25) at PNC Park on Monday at 7:05 p.m. ET on SNY. Unbeaten in his last eight starts, Steven Matz (7-1, 2.60 ERA) will try for a second time to notch his eighth win of the year. Pittsburgh counters with former Met Jon Niese (5-2, 4.36 ERA), who pitched in New York from 2008-2015 before he was traded for Neil Walker in the offseason.

Travis d’Arnaud went 1 for 5 with an RBI single as he began a rehab stint with High-A St. Lucie on Sunday.

The Mets’ catcher has been on the disabled list since April 26 with a right rotator cuff strain. If there are no setbacks, he is expected to return to the Mets in about three weeks.

“I think it’s a ways away throwing-wise,” Terry Collins said Friday. “I just think it’s important to start getting some at-bats.”

D’Arnaud hit into a double play in the first inning, popped out to third in the fifth inning, grounded into a force out in the sixth inning and grounded out to short in the eighth inning.

As expected, d’Arnaud was the team’s designated hitter on Sunday like he was in an extended spring training game Friday. He is not expected to catch in games for a while.

Update: June 5, 3:24 p.m.: The Mets said center fielder Juan Lagares has a sprained left thumb according to a preliminary diagnosis after he was seen by a doctor Sunday, a day after injuring it while making a diving catch.

Lagares will be re-evaluated Monday in New York as the Mets head to Pittsburgh. Lagares hopes to rejoin the team later in the day.

Lagares was not in the Mets’ lineup Sunday as Alejandro De Aza led off and played center

Lagares left Saturday’s 6-4 win at Miami two innings after making a diving catch in to end the sixth inning. Matt Reynolds, who pinch-hit for Lagares in the eighth, told WOR radio’s Wayne Randazzo that Terry Collins said Lagares bruised his left thumb.

Lagares, who did not have an X-ray, and Yoenis Cespedes, who sat out with a sore right hip, will both be evaluated by a doctor Sunday. Collins said there was no doctor available to look at them Saturday.