After four consecutive horrible starts, Mets lefty Steven Matz was better Tuesday night in Colorado. Not great, but better.
He was great for the first part of his start, not allowing a hit or even a ball hit to the outfield for the first 4.1 innings. Before he knew it, he had allowed a three-run home run to Nolan Arenado and a few more hits knocking him from the game before he could record an out in the sixth inning.
“It was good for the first five,” Matz said. “It’s just frustrating. You’ve really god to try to limit the damage, especially in a close ballgame. We ultimately lost the game and that’s the most frustrating part.”
Overall, it was a good start and far better than his previous four. Matz was asked after the game what the difference was between his bad stretch and this good outing.
“I was sinking into my front leg, my landing leg,” Matz said. “I was trying to get my arm to catch up and the ball flattened out. I was staying tall for most of the game and had a good angle on the ball.”
His final line was 5.0 innings pitched, three earned runs, six hits, two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 92 pitches, sixty for strikes, lowering his season ERA to 5.50.
On the season he is 2-4 with that 5.50 ERA, a 5.07 FIP and 1.51 WHIP. He has walked 13 and struck out 36 in 52.1 innings.
