NEW YORK _ The Mets' struggles are reaching epic proportions.
They lost again Saturday, this time 2-0 to the Rockies, and have not held a lead in 45 innings since their blowout win Sunday in San Diego.
The Mets were shut out for the third time in four games, have lost five in a row, six of seven and 12 of 17.
This one wasted a strong start from left-hander Steven Matz in his longest outing since July. He allowed one run in six innings with a walk and five strikeouts. The Rockies managed just three hits against him, including Nolan Arenado's home run to straightaway center field in the first inning. Matz showed no signs of the back tightness he experienced last weekend that caused the Mets to push his start back from Tuesday to Saturday.
Topping out at 17 pitches in an inning, Matz was efficient throughout and finished at 88 pitches (52 strikes) _ the same total he had last time out in only 31/3 innings against the Cardinals.
Saturday was a marked improvement from Matz's previous outing, when everything went smoothly until St. Louis put a runner on base. He wound up allowing seven runs (three earned), and afterward he and manager Mickey Callaway said the issue was a mental one, of worrying too much and letting the game speed up on him when things didn't go perfectly.
Matz avoided that this time.
"He can be an elite left-handed pitcher if he has the right mentality and can overcome things that happen during a game and just continue to do the small things he has to do to pitch well," Callaway said before the game. "I think some of the things that (pitching coach Dave Eiland had) helped him with in between (starts), if he can just focus on those rather than focus on anything else _ the things he can't control _ he should be fine.
"Now, going out there today and being perfect at it is probably not a realistic thing. These things take time, just like anything else, but it can happen."
When it came to pitching with men on base, Matz approached perfection. Colorado went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left two runners on base against him.
After Arenado went deep _ the type of 430-foot shot that can rattle a pitcher _ Matz got Trevor Story looking, painting the low-inside corner with a changeup. In the second, after Chris Iannetta led off with a single and Noel Cuevas lined out hard to right field, Matz struck out Carlos Gonzalez and got Pat Valaika to tap to third.
Matz's final frame included an assist from center fielder Brandon Nimmo. Charlie Blackmon began the sixth with a ground ball single and a steal of second. Ian Desmond followed with a rocket to center, but Nimmo made the catch and fired to third to nab Blackmon.
After getting Arenado to whiff to end the sixth, Matz walked slowly from the mound to the dugout, his team losing but his personal mission accomplished.
The Mets' offense failed to do the same. Right-hander Chad Bettis scattered six hits and a walk in seven innings. The Mets put the potential tying run on second in the sixth inning, but Todd Frazier lined into a double play. They did it again in the eighth, but Asdrubal Cabrera struck out and Jay Bruce flew out to the warning track in left.
Colorado added a run in the ninth on David Dahl's RBI single, but Yoenis Cespedes threw Noel Cuevas out at home.
