May 25th vs. Jacksonville – 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 2 K
First Inning
The first pitch to Kenny Wilson was clubbed hard to left field for a loud out. Carlos Lopez followed and Mateo struggled to locate the zone before Lopez lifted a ball off the plate low into left field for the second out.
Shortstop Austin Nola was the third man up in the inning, and he quickly drew a four-pitch walk.
First baseman Viosergy Rosa, a top-25 Marlins prospect, was the cleanup hitter on the day. Rosa took a nice swing on an inside fastball and hooked it to right field for a single, moving Nola to third on the hit.
Matt Juengel had a loud first strike, popping the ball behind the plate. Mateo’s slider was tailing in on a right-handed batter early, but he seemed to have more tail than he was able to handle, and when he went back to a fastball to get a strike on Juengel, the Jacksonville left fielder hit a solid single up the middle to drive in the first run of the day.
David Adams struggled with Mateo’s offspeed stuff, grounding the ball to the second baseman to end the inning.
Second Inning
Second baseman Terrence Dayleg led off the second inning, and he crossed up Mallex Smith with a drive to straight center that Smith first broke back hard on and then had to sprint in to make the catch, a recurring issue with Smith’s defense if you watch him.
Sharif Othman, the Jacksonville catcher, watched a couple of cut fastballs for a ball and a strike before fouling off a pair of high fastballs. Mateo threw one into the dirt, hoping Othman would chase, but he didn’t bite. On the 3-2 pitch, the catcher drew a walk, Mateo’s second of the day.
Opposing pitcher Chipper Smith bluffed a bunt on the first pitch and nearly slapped an extra base hit that went just wide of the third base bag. Smith bunted the hard high fastball too hard back to Mateo, and he was able to wisely get the lead runner at second base. Leadoff hitter Wilson came to the plate and aired the first pitch to right field for the third out.
Third Inning
Lopez led off the third by laying off a low breaking ball and a high cut fastball, then had a low outside fastball called a strike before a hanging slider was called ball three. On the 3-1 count, Mateo went up and outside, but he did not get the call and walked Lopez. Nola followed with a very solid bunt that catcher Matt Kennelly had to make a very good throw to get Nola at first.
Rosa came up after his first inning single set up the game’s first run, and Mateo was visibly frustrated by Lopez’s presence at second base. Mateo got Rosa to chase a very good changeup for an 0-2 count, but Rosa worked the count to full by fouling off close pitches and laying off pitches outside, including ball four to put runners at first and second. Juengel took the first pitch to shortstop for a routine 6-4-3 double play.
Fourth Inning
Third baseman Adams led off the fourth and on the second pitch, he flew out to left field. Mateo then walked Dayleg on four pitches, not even getting close on multiple pitches in the at bat.
Mateo finished short in his delivery with Dayleg on first base, leaving the first two pitches to Othman up in the zone. Othman grounded the third pitch of the at bat to the right side, but the Braves couldn’t get the double play turned.
Mateo attacked the pitcher Smith on the outside corner, getting a swinging strikeout.
Fifth Inning
Leadoff hitter Wilson led off the fifth against Mateo, and he took the second pitch to Rio Ruiz at third for a quick ground out. Lopez followed Wilson’s lead and jumped on the second pitch, but he had better success with a single to left field.
Nola followed with a single on a 2-2 count, putting runners on first and second for cleanup hitter Rosa.
Rosa worked the count to 2-2 before also singling off of Mateo, driving in Lopez and moving Nola to third. Juengel followed with yet another single, driving in Nola and moving Rosa to second.
Adams jumped on the second pitch of his at-bat, but he flew out to left field. On 2-0, Mateo did find another gear against Dayleg, striking him out on a very good breaking pitch for his last batter of the game.