Matz not fair! Lefty upset at 4th-inning hook

Steven Matz could smile when the night was over, and the Mets had pulled out an 11-5 comeback win over the Nationals.

But nothing was funny in the fourth inning, when Matz was surprisingly pulled back from the on-deck circle in favor of a pinch hitter — and he angrily slammed down his bat and helmet.

The southpaw felt as strong as he had all season. He had retired 10 straight hitters. He had thrown just 74 pitches. And first-year manager Mickey Callaway had decided Matz’s fourth start of the season was over.

“I was kind of in a groove, but he’s gotta do what he’s gotta do to try and win the game,” Matz said. “I understand now, but in the moment I’m not very happy.”

Matz hasn’t thrown more than 5 ¹/3 innings in any start this season, though this time the Long Island native was partially responsible for putting Callaway in the unpopular position.

Matz started the game with a strikeout, but then allowed four straight base runners, and needed 33 pitches to get out of the first inning. After a single by Howie Kendrick, and a walk to Bryce Harper, Matz placed a 3-2 changeup on a tee for Ryan Zimmer- man, who rocketed a three-run home run to left field.

“If it wasn’t for the 33 pitches in the first inning, we wouldn’t even have contemplated [removing him],” Callaway said. “The most I could see him going was another inning at that pace, so I thought it made a lot of sense.”

Matz didn’t allow another base runner after the homer, and was preparing to hit in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Mets then cut the deficit to 3-2. Before Matz’s atbat, two runners reached base, with one out, and he was pulled for Brandon Nimmo, who was hit by a pitch. Amed Rosario then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Matz ended up with a no-decision after allowing three runs, three hits and one walk, while striking out six.

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

“I’m so excited about the way he settled in, and was attacking hitters. He’s gonna have a lot of success when he does that. … He ended up pitching a really good game, and he would’ve continued pitching a good game had we not taken him out.”