“This guy has got outstanding stuff. He is going to be really good,” said Terry Collins about Steven Matz following his second major league start. Matz final line was: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K. Matz pitched a gem and had the run support to go along with a great pitching performance.
New York struck early getting runs on the board. Curtis Granderson, the first batter of the game, reached on an infield single to third. Murphy then followed with a single to center field, and Wilmer Flores singled right, scoring Granderson.
The game started seeing real separation in the fourth inning. Monell & Tejada both started the inning with back-to-back singles. Matz continued his hot streak at the plate, grounding out to second and scoring Tejada. Lagares then followed by reaching on an infield single to second. Granderson doubled to left scoring Tejada and Lagares. Murphy was intentionally walked and then Flores reached on an infield single to shortstop scoring Lagares, and leaving the bases loaded. Mets didn’t continue to capitalize and left the inning with a 4-0 lead.
Matz continued to pitch well only allowing one more hit in the fifth-inning.
In the seventh-inning, Dodgers replaced starting pitcher Mike Bolsinger with right-handed Juan Nicasio. Flores opened the inning with a double to left field, Monell drew a walk, and Tejada singled to right scoring Flores. Lagares drew in the next pair, hitting a triple to right – scoring Monell & Tejada. Mets finished the inning leading 7-0.
Logan Verrett relieved Matz in the seventh. Verrett threw back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the seventh and eighth innings. In the bottom of the seventh, drove in a run, doubling to left and scoring Lucas Duda, leaving the score at 8-0.
Verrett would pitch the rest of the way, keeping the shutout for Steven Matz. Wilmer Flores exploded offensively, going 4-5 with 3 RBI’s and 1 R. Granderson, Murphy, Flores, and Tejada all had a multiple-hit games.
Matz records in second win in only his second start of the year, going 2-0. Mets go above .500, with a 42-41 record – 4 games behind the Washington National. Mets take the series against the Dodgers, 2-1. New York heads to San Francisco to take on the Giants in a three-game series at San Francisco.
Here are your probable Mets starters against San Francisco:
7/6: Jonathan Niese (3-8, 3.90 ERA)
7/7: Bartolo Colon (9-6, 4.55 ERA)
7/8: Jacob deGrom (8-6, 2.30 ERA)
