Mets’ Steven Matz turns page on difficult start to season

7:20 PM ET

NEW YORK — An unsightly start has become something to behold for Steven Matz. The New York Mets left-hander stumbled out of the gate on the season but now has hit the kind of stride every pitcher hopes for.

On Wednesday, he threw 7.2 scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 8-0 before 31,783 fans in a cold drizzle at Citi Field. He allowed just three base runners, two on two-out hits in the third and eighth innings and a hit batter in the seventh. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out eight.

Matz’ first start of the season was abominable, allowing seven runs and failing to get the final out of the second inning before being lifted. Since then it has been a different story. He’s made four starts for a 4-0 record with a 0.67 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 27 innings.

“All my pitches, I felt comfortable like I could throw them in any count. That was definitely a good day,” Steven Matz said about his outing Wednesday against the Braves. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

“Tough day to pitch, with the weather,” manager Terry Collins said. “And he went out and did what he’s been doing lately and that is throwing strikes and using all his stuff.”

Matz added: “All my pitches, I felt comfortable like I could throw them in any count. That was definitely a good day.”

Matz likes day games — according to ESPN Stats & Info, he is 4-0 with a 1.07 ERA in five daytime starts — but the 24-year-old is underselling how good he was in this one. He retired the first eight Atlanta hitters he faced before giving up a flare single in the third inning on a 1-and-2 …

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