Harvey picks up 1st win since July in dominant return

NEW YORK - Matt Harvey dominated with a fastball in the mid-90 mph range and uncommon efficiency in his return from major surgery, beating the Atlanta Braves 6-2 Thursday night and giving the New York Mets hope his injury woes are behind him.

Travis d'Arnaud hit a two-run double and Wilmer Flores a two-run homer against Jaime Garcia, who made his Atlanta debut after eight seasons with St. Louis.

Harvey walked off the mound to a standing ovation, far different from his previous appearance on July 4, when he was chased in the fourth inning and stared at the field from the dugout, a white towel draped over his left shoulder, a despondent look on his face.

A year after helping the Mets reach the World Series for the first time since 2000, the 28-year-old right-hander struggled to a 4-10 record with a 4.86 ERA in 2016. He felt numbness in his fingertips against the Marlins and did not pitch again, undergoing surgery July 18 to correct a Thoracic Outlet Syndrome injury caused by the compression of nerves, blood vessels or both in the area between the neck and armpit.

Harvey was 0-4 with a 5.89 ERA in five spring training starts, but he looked like New York's ace of old against the Braves. His fastball was consistently in the 93-94 mph range - even reaching 96 mph - and he needed six pitches to get through the first inning, eight in the second, 10 in the third and 11 in the fourth.

With the Mets in Harvey's favored blue jerseys for the first time this season, he allowed three hits in 6 2/3 innings, leaving after Matt Kemp's second solo home run. Harvey threw 55 of 73 pitches for strikes, fanned four and walked none.