Steven Matz came into last night’s game with a 4.98 ERA and struggling to give his team a chance to win in his last three starts as he had allowed 13 runs (nine earned) in his 12 2/3. He also got his scheduled start on Tuesday skipped with back tightness.

However, Matz pulled together his best start of the season last night against the Colorado Rockies, despite receiving the loss.

In the first inning, Matz surrendered a solo home run to Nolan Arenado to put the Rockies up 1-0.

After that, though, the 26-year old lefty did not allow a run over the next five innings. His final line ended up including only three hits, one run, and one walk while recording five strikeouts over six innings of work (88 pitches).

That was the deepest he has gone into a game this season as it eclipses his previous high of 5 1/3 innings on April 13 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mickey Callaway said he saw something different from Matz yesterday that he had never seen before, as detailed by Tim Healey of Newsday.

“I saw it in his face and his demeanor and the way he went about his business tonight from pitch one. There was a little edge to him that I haven’t seen before. You watch [Max] Scherzer and those guys who are really aggressive attacking hitters, I felt like he was doing that, a little something extra at the end of his release. It was very positive.”

Matz cited his routine as being a major reason he was successful last night as well.

“That’s something I was mindful of today. It was really just take a step back, I was fixing my hat, I had my glove right by my side and step on the mound. Reset between every pitch. Give myself a second [to think about] what I want to do and go out there and do it.”

However, Callaway did admit there wasn’t much for him to get nervous about, as he really did not run into a lot of trouble.

“There wasn’t a lot to get rattled about. He did a really good job of that tempo between pitches. That will be a big key for him moving forward.”

Matz will hope to carry this success over to his next start that will likely be on Friday against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies.