Because the Mets’ offense is built around home runs, it tends to come and go in spurts.
But when it goes, it doesn’t tend to stray for long. Less than a day after the Mets mustered one hit in a loss to the Braves, they bludgeoned four home runs to back Steven Matz in an 8-0 victory at Citi Field, winning their sixth consecutive series. It had been a full decade since the Mets last scored six series wins in a row.
Lucas Duda’s pair of homers highlighted the scoring off Braves starter Jhoulys Chacin, who also served up two-run shots to Rene Rivera and Asdrubal Cabrera in 4 2/3 innings.
That provided plenty of cushion once again for Matz, who has enjoyed the most free-flowing run support of any Mets starter. Improving to 4-0 with a 0.67 ERA since a seven-run clunker in his season debut, Matz has received 35 runs of support over his last four starts. The Mets have outscored their opponents 31-1 while Matz has been an active pitcher in those games.
Once again, the long ball was the Mets’ preferred method of attack. Rivera’s two-run shot in the second inning gave the Mets their first lead, and they never looked back from there. An inning later, Cabrera and Duda hit two-run shots over a four-batter span to put the game mostly out of reach. Duda hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot, in the fifth.
Everything Chacin has provided through this season’s first month has been gravy for the Braves, who were simply taking a chance that the veteran pitcher was healthy when he signed a Minor League deal this winter. But as Chacin surrendered a career-high four home runs, including three two-run shots within a span of seven batters, he at least provided reason to wonder how long he is capable of being a reliable option in the rotation. If he is removed at some point within the next month, the Braves could promote Tyrell Jenkins or Lucas Sims to fill the spot.
All but unhittable in his previous three starts, Matz still managed to save some of his best work for the Braves. The left-hander retired eight straight batters to open the game, then another 11 in a row after Chacin singled with two outs in the third. Working for the most part with a multi-run lead, he needed 106 pitches to complete 7 2/3 innings.
Aaron Blair will oppose Zack Greinke when Atlanta opens a three-game series against the D-backs on Friday at 6:35 p.m CT. Blair was a top prospect in the D-backs’ organization before the Braves acquired him in the blockbuster deal that sent Shelby Miller to Arizona in December.
