MATZ, METS FALL FLAT
Amazin’s seven-game winning streak snapped with loss to Pirates:
If Steven Matz could have removed one inning from this game, he’d still be on a second-half roll. Of course, it’d be great for the Mets, and Matz, if the game actually went that way.
In fact, the Mets probably wish they could have crossed out two innings: Matz’s ugly five-run fourth and Tyler Bashlor’s seventh, when he gave up a three-run bomb to Starling Marte. Without those two blotches, the
Mets threw six score- less frames.
Unfortunately for the Mets, nonlinear shutouts have yet to grab ahold of America’s pastime, and the Mets fell to the lowly, lastplace Pirates 8-4 on Friday night at PNC Park. The defeat ended the Mets’ seven-game win streak.
The Mets (53-56) entered Friday’s game with a 2.56 ERA in the second half, the best in the majors. Matz, who pitched a shutout his last time out — also against the Pirates — was cruising through the first three innings but ran into trouble in the fourth. The southpaw allowed a leadoff walk to Bryan Reynolds and then gave up four straight base hits.
Elias Diaz’s one-out single gave the Pirates a two-run lead and effectively ended Matz’ night. His record fell to 6-7.
“In that situation, it all snowballed so fast,” Matz said of his fourth. “I was out of the game and I’m just like ‘I can’t believe I’m out of this game,’ especially with how I went the first time through the lineup.”
Though Phil Regan visited Matz while he was battling the heart of the Pirates lineup, the 28-year-old lefty wished he “took a breather for a second” before things got out of hand.
Callaway had a quick hook after pitcher Trevor Williams’ sac bunt, turning to Robert Gsellman in relief. Nonetheless, the Mets manager expressed confidence in Matz’ ability to bounce back despite things spinning out of control. “He’ll shake this one off,” Callaway said. “He’s thrown really good baseball.”
Gsellman threw 2.1 scoreless innings to keep the game close until Bashlor’s rough outing.
“Two outings ago he was electric,” Callaway said of Bashlor, the second-year reliever. “He’s just a young kid learning to get his feet wet in the big leagues. That’s not an excuse, it’s just reality.”
“But, we have to be better. We have to hold that score where it is, no matter who you are.”
Pete Alonso followed Jeff McNeil’s leadoff double with a twobagger of his own to put the Mets on the scoreboard first. They added a run later in the first inning on Wilson Ramos’ RBI groundout. They were up 3-0 before Matz let it all slip away.
With a smile, Callaway told reporters that he wasn’t deflated after the winning streak was snapped because “we weren’t going to go undefeated the rest of the way.” Instead, Callaway looks forward to new pitcher Marcus Stroman making his Mets debut Saturday night.
“We got Stroman tomorrow, Syndergaard after him,” Callaway said. “Let’s start another streak.”