MIAMI — Steven Matz, sweat dotting his forehead, marched off the mound and paced the infield grass. With a stern expression, he watched the ball clear the wall in left-center field, then returned to the mound.
Matz, a promising rookie left-hander who was making his first major league start since July 5, had just given up a solo home run to Miami catcher Jeff Mathis. He seemed frustrated. Mathis had entered the game with a .123 batting average, and the home run gave the Marlins a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.
But it did not rattle Matz, who retired the next three batters to end the inning and provided the Mets with a strong start during a time when they are trying to rest the core of their powerful rotation.