The New York Mets (17-9) defeated the Atlanta Braves (7-20) this afternoon at a cold and wet Citi Field by the final score of 8-0. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2016_05_04_atlmlb_nynmlb_1#game=2016_05_04_atlmlb_nynmlb_1,game_tab=box,game_state=Wrapup

Game Notes:

• Steven Matz was in complete command this afternoon picking up his 4th win of the season. Matz pitched 7.2 scoreless innings while only allowing 2 hits. Matz walked none and struck out 8.
• Rene Rivera was 1-4 slugging his first home run as a Met. It was a 2-run shot in the bottom of the 2nd.
• Asdrubal Cabrera was 1-4 with a 2-run homer.
• Lucas Duda had a monster day going 2-4 with 2 HR’s. Duda hit a 2-run bomb in the bottom of the 3rd and a solo HR in the bottom of the 5th.
• Wilmer Flores was 2-3 with an RBI double.

After yesterday’s outing where the Mets were shutout and only mustered one hit, the offense came back alive today in a big way. The Mets slugged four home runs on the afternoon, with recent addition Rene Rivera joining the Mets recent home-run binge in the bottom of the second inning to start the scoring. The Mets offense, with the exception of last night, has become a force in the National League and they have forty home runs to show for it in their first twenty six games thus far, which is a club record. This offense is producing at a historic pace and one can only imagine how much more dangerous this lineup will be when it warms up in the summer and the ball starts flying.

Steven Matz continued his dominant run of starts since his 7-run shelling back in early April, as he completely dominated the Braves from start to finish today. The game looks like it has completely slowed down for Matz and he seems to just be improving with every start he makes this season. In Matz’s last four starts he is 4-0 with a 0.67 ERA. Those numbers indicate the ace potential Matz possesses, and there is no doubt he will be in the running to be named NL Rookie of the Year at the end of the season at this current pace. 

The Mets completed a successful homestand where they went 7-2, and now have won six straight series for the first time since 2006. The Mets also hit as many home runs in this series against the Braves (7) than the Braves have hit all season (6), which just shows where the Braves are at in the middle of their rebuilding process. No apologies for taking care of business however as the Mets now are set to embark on their longest road trip of the season. The Mets will play eleven games in three west-coast cities with no off-days in-between. The Mets will play the Padres, Dodgers, and Rockies in that order, who are all beating up on each other in the crowded NL West. The Mets are 8-3 on the road this season and will look to build on that road success over the next week and a half. 

• The Mets open up their four game series against the San Diego Padres tomorrow evening with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 pm et. Tomorrow evening’s game can be seen on SNY and you may want to catch a nap before first pitch.

• Jacob deGrom (3-0, 1.02 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mets opposing Padres right-hander Colin Rea (2-1, 4.61 ERA).