New York Mets starter Steven Matz entered Wednesday’s start versus Arizona with a 2.78 ERA over 10 second-half starts (58.1 innings) with 54 strikeouts, 13 bases-on-balls, and five home runs allowed.

His 1.6 wins above replacement (FanGraphs) over that span rank ninth among qualified National League starters. Matz discovering that elusive fourth gear this season has been one of the more pleasant developments in a season full of them.

With the Mets just three games behind the Cubs heading into Wednesday and the Diamondbacks nestled just a half-game ahead of them, another strong outing from their homegrown southpaw would be ideal.

After hitting Tim Locastro with a 95 MPH sinker with his first pitch of the night, Matz retired the next three D-Backs he faced — two liners via Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar, and a Christian Walker 5-3 groundout — and before taking the mound again he’d be staked to a commanding 5-0 lead.

With a plush cushion of run support and a new breath of life pumped into this fanbase, Matz walked the bases loaded with none out to start the second, naturally.

He struck out Carson Kelly swinging at a 94 MPH sinker, then induced a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Kevin Cron to escape the jam. That was a scenario 2018 Steven Matz might not have found himself out of. That’s progress.

Matz worked around a Marte double in the third — striking out Locastro and Walker in the frame — and punched out Wilmer Flores and Adam Jones in a scoreless fourth. Matz was cruising, as were the Mets, who had jumped out to a 7-0 lead by that point.

Locastro’s two-out double in the fifth was negated after Matz got Marte to ground out on an ultra-deceptive, 84 MPH slider that, believe it or not, was right down the heart of the plate. Pitching to contact is another indication of Matz’ maturation as a pitcher. Love to see it.

At 91 pitches heading into the sixth and a fully-stocked bullpen at Mickey Callaway‘s disposal, Matz worked around a leadoff single from Escobar and a one-out single via Flores, striking out Adam Jones looking at an inside-paint sinker, and getting Nick Ahmed to ground out.

After 109 pitches (71 strikes), including 19 swings-and-misses (eight on 26 changeups), 16 called strikes (12 on 48 sinkers), and 14 balls in play, Matz’ night was complete.

His final line of seven scoreless innings, striking out seven with three walks lowered his season ERA to 3.84 and drops his second-half ERA down to a sparkling 2.47 with 61 strikeouts, 16 walks, and 1.09 WHIP.

Onward and upward.