Zac Thornton continues stellar Mets start as Francisco Lindors big night leads rout of Braves
Zac Thornton’s scoreless stretch is over.But the rookie’s latest solid outing has put more important streaks in play.With his fourth straight start of at least six innings, Thornton earned his second career (and consecutive) win, leading the Mets to a 14-3 victory over the Braves on Monday night at Citi Field.Aided by a late offensive explosion — the team finished with 19 hits after scoring nine runs in its final two innings — the Mets claimed their second straight win over a first-place team, as well as their first back-to-back wins since July 8-9.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.Thornton (2-1, 2.43 ERA) entered his fifth career start having thrown 18 straight scoreless innings — the longest such stretch by a Mets rookie since 2016 (Steven Matz) — but the southpaw allowed a run before his first inning was done.
Still, the 24-year-old exited to a standing ovation in the rain after pitching into the seventh inning.Thornton allowed three runs, six hits and one walk in 6 ¹/₃ innings, with five strikeouts on 81 pitches (54 strikes).“What he has done has not surprised me, [but] the string of zeroes is surprising for anybody,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said before the game.
“He has done a lot of tremendous things.He’s attacked the zone the way he does.
He has gotten pitches chased at the right time.He’s missed barrels and gotten on handles.
That doesn’t surprise me.Process-wise, he has done what we expected him to be.
Results-wise, he’s had a good run.We expect runs to cross the plate at some point in time against him, but the way he has gone about his business, the conviction on the mound is not surprising at all.“Guys will adjust to what he has done.
That said, he’s got five pitches.He doesn’t have to do the same thing to be successful.
I think he’ll continue to show he belongs here and continue to make the adjustmen...