NEW YORK -- With each outing, Braden Shipley grows, and the D-backs right-hander's outings have gotten better and better.
Thursday, in just his fourth big league start, Shipley tossed seven shutout innings as the D-backs completed a three-game sweep of the Mets with a 9-0 win at Citi Field. He even helped his own cause with a stolen base and an RBI single.
The bright lights of the Big Apple did not faze the 24-year-old former first-round pick.
"I think once I got Dodger Stadium under my belt, I pretty much felt confident coming into today," said Shipley, who shut the Dodgers out for six innings in Chavez Ravine on July 30. "And I feel like with each start I get, I'll become more and more confident and just be able to go out there and do my job. I believe in my abilities, and I know what I can do when I keep the ball down and my stuff is working. Kind of recognized early that my stuff was working today, and I just wanted to go right after hitters."
Shipley (2-1) was never in any real trouble, as the Mets were only able to get one runner as far as second base on the day. He walked just one while striking out seven.

D-backs starters Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray and Shipley led the way in the sweep, allowing just three runs over 20 innings in the series. All three of the runs came off Greinke on Tuesday night in his first start since spending six weeks on the disabled list with a left oblique injury.
"Starters set the tone, and our starting pitching was great this series," Shipley said. "Zack had a fantastic start, obviously Robbie yesterday, and I just wanted to follow it up and give the team a chance at a sweep."
It took only 78 pitches for Shipley to get through seven innings, and he could have gone deeper, but with the heavy humidity, D-backs manager Chip Hale decided not to push him.
"I think he used all of his pitches well," D-backs catcher Tuffy Gosewisch said. "He didn't strike too many people out, but he missed some barrels, got bad contact, which is why he kept his pitch count down pretty well."
Shipley allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings in his Major League debut against Milwaukee, but in the three starts since, he has allowed two runs in 19 innings.
"Just mechanically staying sound and just trusting my stuff," Shipley said. "Staying confident and believing in myself and going out there and attacking hitters and staying down in the zone."