Matt Harvey vs. Stephen Strasburg is a very interesting pitching matchup. They are pitchers fans would expect to see start on Opening Day as both of them have top-of-the rotation talent. Instead, we saw them square off in game three, and it didn't go as one might expect.

Instead of the final score being 1-0 or 2-1, the final ended up being 6-3 in favor of the New York Mets, who have been surprising so far in their opening series against the Washington Nationals.

New York had a big third inning, scoring four big runs against Strasburg (L: 0-1, 5.06 ERA). Strasburg would end up taking the loss with a final line of 5.1 innings, nine hits, six runs (three earned), three walks and five strikeouts. 

Earning the win was Harvey (W: 1-0, 0.00), who went six innings while he ended up allowing four hits, no runs, and one walk. He struck out nine Nationals. The Nationals got two of their three runs against reliever Alex Lopez. 

Today's game was the long-awaited return for the Mets' ace right-hander, who missed all of 2014 because of Tommy John surgery. He wanted to return last September, but the Mets chose to wait for the new season to give him a chance to fully recover.

In his post-game report, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy described the Mets fans in attendance in Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. as making "chants" that sounded more like "whispers" but making enough noise to let Harvey know they are happy to see him pitch again. McCalvy wrote, 

"But they were every bit as audible as the scattered pockets of orange were visible, spicing a crowd of 25,327 on an otherwise cold, damp day in the District. They were symbols of a holiday. Matt Harvey Day. And "HAR-VEY'S BET-TER!" was the anthem."

Harvey was 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA in 26 starts in 2013 before the Mets shut him down in late August with a sprained UCL in his right elbow, the very injury that led to his surgery. Still, he finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting.

The key hitters for the Mets on Thursday were Travis d'Arnoud, who contributed a 2 for 4 performance with two RBI, David Wright, who went 2 for 5 with two RBI, and Michael Cuddyer and Daniel Murphy, who added RBI as well.

The key hitters for the Nationals were Michael Taylor, who went 2 for 5 with two of the team's three RBI while Reed Johnson added the other.

The Mets next play the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, and the Nationals play at the Phildelphia Phillies.