Matz goes batty after early hook

of tension. Winning cures all. Callaway said after the game that he was fine with Matz’s angry and demonstrative response.

“He wasn’t happy, and I’m glad he wasn’t happy,” Callaway said. “I don’t ever want those guys to be happy when I take them out of the game, because that means they have fire and they want to keep on pitching.”

Matz said he was “surprised” to be pulled in that spot.

“As a competitor, you want to go out there and go as deep in the game as you can and continue to get the ball and go after the guys,” Matz said. “I was kind of in a groove, but he’s got to do what he’s got to do to try to win the game. So I understand now, but in the moment, I was not very happy.”

The biggest detriment for Matz was a 33-pitch first inning. He allowed a three-run home run to Ryan Zimmerman. Had Matz thrown fewer pitches in the opening inning, Callaway said he “wouldn’t have even contemplated” pulling him.

After the Zimmerman home run, Matz coasted through the second, third and fourth innings, forcing five groundouts and striking out four.

“We won the game,” added Matz. “It’s a good day in the end.”