Aside from Jacob DeGrom, New York Mets starting pitching has fallen victim to the hitter friendly conditions at Coors Field. On Tuesday night, Jason Vargas only lasted 2.1 innings and allowed seven runs. Wednesday, Seth Lugo lasted just three innings and allowed six runs.

Matz started out much like Vargas and Lugo, but he was able to settle down and make it through 6.2 innings, but allowed five runs on seven hits and walked two.

The Rockies jumped on him early as all five Rockies runs were scored in the first two innings. After Matz was handed a 1-0 lead, the first three Rockies reached base in the bottom of the first.

DJ LeMahieu doubled off the fence and Charlie Blackmon was hit by a pitch. Matz then got ahead of Nolan Arenado 1-2, but missed his spot and Arenado pulled a changeup to left, to give the Rockies a 3-1 lead.

“On the first pitch it seemed like he was fooled, but he was able to keep the barrel in the zone and hit it out of the park,” Matz said on the Arenado home run.

The lefty’s early struggles continued as the Rockies tacked on two more runs in the second. Noel Cuevas led off the inning with a single, two batters later Blackmon dumped in a base hit of his own. Arenado then struck again, as he drove a two run double off the fence in right.

“I threw a couple of bad pitches and Arenado beat me twice.. I got ahead of him both times but he was able to stay with me.”

Matz then settled in nicely, as he bounced back with a scoreless bottom of the third. He ran into a little two out trouble in the fourth, but was able to strand two in scoring position.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway told reporters he thought Matz, “settled in very nicely, he said he was just going to go out there and attack.”

Matz made quick work of the Rockies in the fifth, tossing his first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon. He came back out for the sixth, and was able to get the first two batters out, but was pulled before facing the top of the order.

After allowing five in the first two innings, Matz ended his afternoon having thrown four consecutive scoreless innings, allowing two hits, and retiring six in a row.

Matz has turned a corner, and has pitched much better as of late for the Mets. This is just the fourth time in thirteen starts this season that Matz has allowed 4+ runs. He now has a 3-5 record and a 3.68 ERA over 71 innings this year.