Matz Tames Marlins in 3-0 Mets Victory

The Mets won two of three games in the series

Steven Matz pitched six innings Sunday for his first win since May, and the New York Mets took the rubber game of their series against Miami, 3-0.

Matz (8-6) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out six. Pitching despite a bone spur in his elbow, he had been 0-5 in his past nine starts with an ERA of 4.73.

Jose Reyes drove in the first run with a two-out RBI triple in the third inning. Yoenis Cespedes and James Loney contributed consecutive RBI singles in the eighth.

The Mets won two of three games in the series and returned home trailing second-place Miami by half a game in the NL East.

Matz, who beat Miami for the first time in four career starts, retired the side in order only once but didn't allow any extra-base hits. He protected a 1-0 lead by retiring Giancarlo Stanton on a groundout to strand two runners and end the fifth.

Three relievers completed a five-hitter for the Mets' ninth shutout. Jeurys Familiar pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 51st consecutive save, tied for the third-longest in major league history. He has 35 saves this year, most in the majors.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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