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NYM@WSH: Niese fans seven over 7 1/3 scoreless frames

Thursday's starter Jon Niese has picked on the Phillies in 2012.

Niese is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in four starts against Philadelphia this year -- most recently delivering eight innings of one-run ball in the Mets' 11-1 win on July 3.

Not to say Niese hasn't been solid overall -- the left-hander is 10-7 with a 3.51 ERA. But while his 10 wins are indicative of solid pitching performances, his seventh and most recent loss doesn't necessarily depict the opposite.

In his last outing, Niese surrendered three runs over seven innings against the Astros, but the Mets' sluggish offense gave him just one run of support as he took the loss. The Mets have scored just 13 total runs in the five games Niese has started this month.

Kyle Kendrick will take the mound for the Phillies riding his best stretch of the season.

Kendrick has allowed just two total runs over his last three starts -- all wins. He allowed both to Washington in his most recent start, but delivered 15 combined innings of scoreless ball against the Brewers and Marlins in the two starts prior. Kendrick has lowered his ERA from 4.86 on Aug. 8 to 4.12.

"He's been one of those guys who has always had to fight to survive," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said after Kendrick's last start. "No one can ever say he's not a survivor. He finds a way. When he's pitching like that, it just goes to show you he is a valuable commodity. He can do the job."

Mets: Keeping Harvey's innings cap in mind
At this rate, Matt Harvey's season will come to an end in mid-September.

Matt Harvey's 6 1/3 innings of work on Wednesday night ultimately earned the Mets their fourth straight victory, but pushed the rookie closer to the predetermined innings limit the team set for him earlier this year.

Harvey has now logged 152 1/3 innings between the Majors and Triple-A -- general manager Sandy Alderson pegged his innings limit at 165-170 for 2012.

"I've had a lot of conversations with Matt, and he feels great," manager Terry Collins said. "One of the things about the Minor Leagues is they monitor your workload a lot. They really keep an eye on it. They don't stretch it out and that's just the way the game is. It's changed at the Minor League level a lot, too. These guys are kept under control of their work, how much they throw. So I think there's probably some innings left in Matt, and that's why he feels so good. But I also know pitching in the big leagues has brought some energy to him, too."

Despite the team's plans to continue with a six-man rotation, Harvey will certainly reach the limit before season's end. He logged 135 2/3 innings last season in the Minors -- the reason the limit was set this season.

Phillies: Worley opts for season-ending surgery
Vance Worley's sophomore campaign is over.

Worley met with the Phillies on Wednesday morning and determined that season-ending surgery was necessary -- Worley was pitching with loose bodies in his throwing elbow -- and that he should set his sights on 2013.

He will undergo the procedure next week.

"It's something I thought I could make it through," Worley said. "We all kind of talked it over. We feel like this is the best thing to do right now, have the surgery now and prepare for next season. [I'll] get a couple extra weeks to work on making sure my arm's good and conditioning myself."

Worley finishes the season with a 6-9 record and a 4.20 ERA. He got off to a hot start, but he wasn't the same after a three-week stint on the disabled list in May.

Worth noting
• A 3-2 win over the Phillies on Wednesday extended the Mets' winning current streak to four games, their longest since stringing together four from June 27-30.

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