MET GAMEDAY
GAME 46: May 24, 2018 Where: Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE — Even before the Mets gathered in spring training this year, their success or failure was placed on the pitching. More specifically, manager Mickey Callaway said Thursday, their fate was going to ride on the back end of the rotation: Steven Matz, Jason Vargas and Zack Wheeler.
So Thursday night might have been the first real sign that the Mets can turn this thing around.
Steven Matz threw six shutout innings as the Mets beat the Brewers, 5-0, at Miller Park.
Brandon Nimmo sparked a sluggish offense, reaching base five times. He went 4-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, a triple and an infield single.
“That’s my job. That’s what I am supposed to do,” Nimmo said. “I am in a good place right now. Just really glad I’ve been able to create some traffic for (Asdrubal Cabrera) behind me. He’s really been carrying this offense for a while now.”
That offensive spark not only snapped a two-game losing streak for the Mets (25-21), but completed a turn through their rotation in which the starters allowed just two earned runs. They have posted back-toback scoreless starts for the first time since June last year and have had scoreless outings in three of their last four starts.
“I think guys are just improving. Obviously Vargas became more Vargas-like than he had been before, but Matzy is improving,” Callaway said. “You can see it. Wheeler is definitely improving.
“I think Dave Eiland is doing a great job with those guys and they are stepping up,” Callaway added with the nod to his hand-picked pitching coach.
Matz tied his season-longest outing and posted his first scoreless start since July 3, 2017. He scattered four hits, walked three and struck out three. More importantly, he worked his way through stressful innings, which would have caused him to lose focus in the past. He had to work with runners on base in the first three innings and he wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the third.
“He bounced back, didn’t really worry about what had happened and kept on making pitches,” Callaway said. “He was really aggressive, you could see it on his face. We need him to be able to do that. He did an unbelievable job.”