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NEW YORK -- Steven Matz was sailing along with a no-hitter intact, his pitch count climbing in 96-degree heat. But as the buzz began to build at Citi Field, Terry Collins stomach was churning in the dugout.Smack in the middle of a 5-1 victory over San Diego on Sunday, the New York Mets manager couldnt help but recall that tension-filled night four years ago when he let Johan Santana -- making his 11th start since shoulder surgery -- throw a career-high 134 pitches to finish the only no-hitter in franchise history.Santana, of course, got injured later that season and hasnt made it back to the majors.I looked up there and I saw 65 or 70 and I said, `(Oh, no). Here we go again, Collins said.Concerned this time about leaving his prized rookie in too long, Collins was given something of a reprieve when Alexei Ramirez slapped an opposite-field single just inside first base with one out in the eighth inning.The ball appeared to skip right over the bag, and first base umpire Carlos Torres quickly signaled fair.Guess it was a coin flip, New York second baseman Neil Walker said. He absolutely had no-hit stuff today. You could tell that early in the game. ... Hell have another shot at it.Collins immediately went to the mound and Matz was pulled after 105 pitches. He walked off the field to a big ovation from the crowd of 26,612.It was the longest no-hit bid by a Mets pitcher since Santanas gem against St. Louis on June 1, 2012.It really wasnt on my mind. The only thing on my mind was getting outs, Matz said.Walker and Wilmer Flores homered for the defending NL champions (59-58). Struggling to stay close in the wild-card race, they took two of three in the series to win consecutive games for the first time since July 6-7 against Miami and Washington.Facing the Padres for the first time, Matz (9-8) earned just his second victory in nine decisions over his past 14 starts.The 25-year-old lefty, a hometown favorite who grew up about 50 miles from Citi Field, struck out eight and walked two. Mixing his 94-95 mph fastball with a sharp curve, he fanned All-Star slugger Wil Myers all three times.In his previous outing, Matz threw a career-high 120 pitches during a no-decision last Tuesday against Arizona.Had he got through the eighth inning, I was going to let him start the ninth -- depending on what the eighth inning looked like, Collins said. I wasnt going to visit the Johan Santana scenario again, I can tell you that.Flores and Walker connected for solo shots off lefty Clayton Richard (0-2) as San Diego began its shift to a six-man rotation during a stretch of 16 games between off days.Richard allowed two runs over five innings in his first major league start since Aug. 2 last year for the Chicago Cubs.I couldnt ask for anything more, Padres manager Andy Green said. He was outstanding.The Mets added three insurance runs in the eighth, when Jose Reyes scored on a wild pitch and rookie T.J. Rivera -- another New York product playing for his hometown team -- hit a two-run double for his first career RBI.That felt really good, Rivera said. Pretty cool, man.Addison Reed and Gabriel Ynoa finished the four-hitter. Ynoa yielded Yangervis Solartes run-scoring single in the ninth.UNDER THE SUNMatz is 7-2 with a 1.46 ERA in 10 career starts during the day.ON THE LEFTA switch-hitter, Walker has connected for seven of his 21 home runs off left-handers this year. Coming into the season, he had six career homers off lefties. ... Flores is hitting .354 against southpaws, including 18 for 40 (.450) with eight homers and 16 RBI since July 1.TRAINERS ROOMPadres: CF Jon Jay (broken right forearm) is scheduled to have another CT scan Monday in California and the team hopes he will be cleared to begin swinging a bat.Mets: OF Curtis Granderson was rested. ... Collins said he thinks RHP Zack Wheeler is scheduled to see noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Monday. Wheeler has been slow to recover from Tommy John surgery in March 2015. He began a rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie this month but complained of elbow discomfort after throwing 17 pitches in one inning during a rain-shortened start.UP NEXTPadres: RHP Luis Perdomo (5-6, 6.80 ERA) starts Monday night at Tampa Bay as San Diego begins the final leg of its nine-game road trip. LHP Drew Smyly (4-11, 5.04) goes for the Rays.Mets: In the opener of a 10-game road trip, 43-year-old Bartolo Colon (10-6, 3.35 ERA) gets the ball Monday night at Arizona as New York looks to avenge a three-game sweep by the last-place Diamondbacks at Citi Field last week. Arizona is the only major league team Colon has never beaten, though he permitted just one run over seven innings and struck out eight last Wednesday vs. the Diamondbacks.Cheap Swingman Mavericks Jerseys . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Jalen Brunson Jersey .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. http://www.cheapmavericksjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-deandre-jordan-jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Ray Spalding Jersey . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. Luka Doncic Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tim Tebows statistics are modest. But the former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner believes he is making progress with a week remaining in his Arizona Fall League stint.Tebow enters Wednesdays game with the Scottsdale Scorpions hitting .156 (7-for-45) with one double, two RBIs, four walks and 13 strikeouts in 13 AFL games. His batting average ranks 70th of 73 qualifiers in the league.I feel like every day I get a little more comfortable in the field, at the plate, just going through the routine of baseball, said the 29-year-old Tebow, who launched a professional baseball bid in September with the New York Mets after not playing the sport since his junior year of high school. I think my body is getting more comfortable with that -- the everyday routine of it, the little soreness of it, the recoveries. All of those little things.Tebow has been slowed by a cranky right knee, which he originally injured on Oct. 31 on an awkward slide into second base. He returned to the lineup three days later as the designated hitter, then departed for his weekend gig as a college-football commentator. Tebow resumed playing left field on Monday.Its getting better every day, Tebow said. Im feeling better, getting faster.One benefit of Tebow playing in the AFL is that Mets hitting coach Kevin Long lives in the Phoenix area and can provide regular tutelage. Tebow makes daily visits to Long in the mornings before reporting for AFL duty. The ex-quarterback confessed the extra workload has taken a toll on his hands.Lets put it this way: Theres been a lot of bandages on my hands for the last couple of months, Tebow said. Thats for sure.Tebow also has spent this week working at Scottsdale Stadium with Reggie Jackson, a Yankees instructor. They mostly have discussed hitting approach. Mets and Yankees prospects both play for the Scorpions.Hes got a month named after him, Tebow said about Jackson, also known as Mr. October. So its pretty cool.It has been an eventful AFL season for Tebow aside from his on-field play. The opening week, a man suffered a seizure in the stands after a game while seeking an autograph. Tebow stayed with the man -- a Georgia football fan -- until paramedics arrived. Tebow has stayed in touch with the man.Hes doing well, Tebow said. There might have been a little trash talk with the Florida-Georgia thing. But hes doing good.There have beeen light moments, too.ddddddddddddOn Halloween, Scottsdale teammate Aaron Brown -- a Phillies prospect -- dressed as Tebow, including wearing?Denver Broncos?garb.I thought it was really funny, Tebow said. Hes a trip. There were some good costumes. I liked his -- except when he came out and was throwing some different routes to [fellow Phillies prospect Mitch] Walding. There were too many incompletions out there.Mets general manager Sandy Alderson acknowledged Tebows assignment to the AFL is aggressive, given he just resumed playing the sport two months ago. But Alderson noted that the Mets wanted to have Tebow continue to develop by playing games after participating in the instructional league.Assigning Tebow to the AFL, which has a development mission, made more sense for Tebow than a Latin American winter league, where the priority is winning, according to Alderson. Tebow also needed a location that allowed for easy travel to his college-football broadcasting duties with ESPN each weekend. Having Long in the area and Mets coach Tom Goodwin managing Scottsdale made it sensible, too.Look, there was a downside in the fact that everything gets graded in the Fall League, Alderson said. The upside is he needs game competition in order to develop those kind of baseball instincts and peripheral skills that are so important. We actually thought he could hold his own in the batters box. And I think hes largely done that. His strikeout rate is not horrendous. Hes making decent contact and hes getting better.If you go to the Dominican Republic or Venezuela, those arent exactly development leagues. Those are competition leagues. So, all in all, this was the best spot for him.Goodwin said Tebows bat speed has been his biggest improvement through 13 games played in the AFL. His fielding instincts have improved, too, since he face-planted into the outfield wall during the opening week.The bat is coming through the zone, Goodwin said. I think hes recognizing pitches now better than he was then. Hes been facing some tough lefties, too. ... Hes done well. In the outfield hes moving around a lot better on his own. Hes kind of reading swings out there, which is going to have to happen. Once we get his knee right I think well see the speed out there. ' ' '