Just six days removed from an abysmal four-homer showing against the Washington Nationals that left his spring ERA at 10.97, Steven Matz responded with a much smoother outing in the Mets’ 6-0 win over the Miami Marlins. The lefty went five strong, allowing six hits and no walks in an encouraging shutout performance.

“I was able to get two bullpens in, talked to Dave [Eiland] and Mickey [Callaway] a little bit,” Matz admitted following the start. “It translated out there today, so I’m happy with it.

Despite striking out only three batters (one, excluding the two punchouts of opposing pitcher Wei-Yin Chen), Matz threw 58 of his 79 total pitches for strikes, sitting in the 89-93 mph range with his fastball while establishing his changeup and curveball along the lower part of the plate to work into a number of 0-2 and 1-2 counts.

The first three innings of the afternoon required their share of work, as Miami threatened with men in scoring position on two separate occasions. In the first, Martin Prado whacked a double off the wall in right field, but was stranded following a 6-3 groundout of Brian Anderson and 5-3 bouncer off the bat of Lewis Brinson. Matz worked around a one-out single in the second, albeit getting away with a pair of middle-in fastballs to right fielder Peter O’Brien and catcher Bryan Holaday on two flyouts to left.

Prado singled with two away in the third and subsequently advanced a base after the third baseman Anderson was hit by a tailing slider, but neither runner scored after Matz struck out Brinson to cap off a 26-pitch inning. The last pitch to Brinson, an 83 mph changeup, capped off a nine-pitch at-bat, and arguably set the tone for a smooth-sailing fourth and fifth.

“I felt my changeup was where I wanted it today, definitely – the slider and cutter, as well. I was able to go in with that and away with the changeup… it was effective for me.”

All told, Miami again put a runner on second after non-roster outfielder Harold Ramirez flicked a double to lead off the fourth, but a quality changeup to O’Brien, nicely-spotted slider to JT Riddle, and good fastball up and in to Holaday led to a trio of weak groundouts (5-3, 3-1, and 6-3, respectively) to retire the side.

Matz needed just ten pitches to make his way out of the fifth, with a Miguel Rojas single making for the only remote damage. Rojas was caught trying to steal second – the only attempt made against the lefty all day – before a low 2-2 change to Prado induced a lazy flyout to center. Matz faced one batter in the sixth, allowing a single before being relieved (scorelessly) by Tyler Bashlor.

“We looked at some of that stuff,” he added, regarding the mechanical issues that had been cited in his last start. “I don’t think about that stuff when I’m on the mound. That’s part of what we’re working on, just going out there and pitching. It’s something we addressed as well. It still got away from me a few times, but it’s better.”

With just four games left to play before the regular season kicks off, Matz likely ends his spring training campaign with a 7.47 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, and 2.75 (11 to 4) K/BB ratio. All told, the lefty certainly looked like himself through the majority of his time at camp, and being able to regain his form in his last go-around definitely bodes well for what will be a pivotal year as the Mets’ fourth starter.