Mathews (1-2) earned the win Friday against the Pirates after allowing one run on five hits and a walk while striking out seven over 5.2 innings. He also hit a batter.
Mathews made his first start since manager Oliver Marmol said last Sunday that the lefty would remain in the team's rotation for the foreseeable future, and Mathews responded by delivering the best outing of his young career. Mathews threw 63 of 102 pitches for strikes and matched his career high with seven strikeouts while completing a career-best 5.2 innings. The strong outing lowered his ERA from 6.43 to 5.03 through four starts. His next start will be a tough test, however, as he's scheduled to face the Dodgers on the road.