If the New York Mets are going to battle all the way back in this Wild Card chase, it is going to take a huge effort from the unit that this team was built around. The starting pitching.

With an ailing bullpen that has only two arms that can be trusted, the best recipe for the Mets to be successful is for their starting pitchers to pitch well and deep into games. That is exactly what New York has gotten in the first two games of their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as Jacob deGrom and now Zack Wheeler have turned in a pair of gems.

Wheeler’s last start was an effective one, with the right-hander throwing five strong innings against the Washington Nationals in a pivotal rubber match victory. Wheeler had to really grind to make it through that start, throwing 101 pitches in five innings and stranding eight Nationals along the way.

On Tuesday night, things came much easier to Wheeler, as he showcased that 2018 second-half form that had everyone so excited about his potential to be a front-line starting pitcher.

The first inning was the only inning that saw the Diamondbacks score a run against Wheeler, after he gave up a leadoff single to fringe MVP-candidate Ketel Marte. After Wilmer Flores popped out, failing to get him into scoring position, Marte took matters into his own hands and stole second base.

Slugging third baseman Eduardo Escobar then showcased a two-strike approach, finding a hole in the infield and shooting a ground ball into the outfield to score the first run of the game. Wheeler settled in from there, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.

Wheeler retired the side in order in the second inning, picking up his third strikeout along the way. Todd Frazier delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the frame, giving Wheeler a lead that he would not cede the rest of the way.

The third inning saw Marte hit the only extra-base hit that Wheeler would allow, when he barely missed a home run off the top of the fence in right-center field, instead settling for a double. Having already struck out the first batter of the inning, Wheeler induced a pair of groundouts that stranded Marte in scoring position to end the threat.

Wheeler yielded a leadoff single to Christian Walker in the fourth inning, but immediately erased him with a double-play ball. He then gave up two more base hits, before striking out Alex Avila to get out of another jam.

In the fifth, Wheeler started off the inning by striking out the pitcher, before Marte came up to the plate again. This time, he was much more careful with the All-Star, issuing his first walk of the game. Wheeler would then get the slow-footed Flores to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Across the next two innings, Wheeler walked a batter and allowed one more single, which were of no consequence as he retired the other six hitters that came to the plate. The last batter that Wheeler faced was Marte, but for the first time, Zack was able to get him out finishing off seven innings of brilliant work.

All told, Wheeler yielded one run on seven hits, walked two and struck out seven batters. Justin Wilson was pushed to his limits in a great four-out save, netting Wheeler his 11th win of the season. His ERA shrunk down to 4.21 on the year.

“A lot of runners on base, but I’ve been able to make my pitches and I think that goes to the off-speed,” Wheeler said. “I’m able to locate that and it’s moving like it’s supposed to. I’ve been able to get some double plays these past two outings.”