Cubs vs. Mets Game 1: Live NLCS Score and Highlights

Behind a star performance from Matt Harvey, Game 1 of the National League Championship Series belongs to the New York Mets.

Harvey electrified the Citi Field crowd, striking out nine in 7.2 innings, and pushed the Mets to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

He was backed by some power, including home runs from Daniel Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud. It was Murphy’s third in as many games and fourth in the postseason. Curtis Granderson also added two RBI out of the leadoff spot to propel the Mets to victory.

For the Cubs, Jon Lester was good, but he just couldn’t match Harvey, who was perfect into the fifth inning.

The box score won’t be kind to Lester, as it’ll show four earned runs in 6.2 innings, but he pitched better than it indicates. Aside from a mistake to Murphy, Lester stuck with Harvey stride for stride over the first half of the game before faltering in the middle innings.

Harvey was able to command all of his pitches from the beginning of the game on a cold October night in Flushing. He kept the Cubs’ explosive bats quiet until his last pitch, which was destroyed deep into the right center field bullpen for an estimated 461 feet by Kyle Schwarber, who has tied a Cubs franchise record with four home runs in a postseason.

Things won’t get any easier for the Cubs lineup, as they will face Noah Syndergaard in Game 2 on Sunday, but at least they’ll have their ace and potential Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta opposite him.

Final: Mets 4 - 2 Cubs

Follow Dan Ferrara on Twitter for more analysis during the MLB postseason.