SB Nation New York - Mets 9, Pirates 1: Pagan, Beltran Back Dickey's Pitchinghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2010-09-14T21:58:56-04:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14526132010-09-14T21:58:56-04:002010-09-14T21:58:56-04:00Dickey Now Has Career-High 11 Victories
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<p>Flushing, NY (Sports Network) – Angel Pagan and Carlos Beltran each drove in three runs to back R.A. Dickey’s second complete game of the season, as the New York Mets dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-1, in the second test of a four-game series at Citi Field.</p>
<p>Dickey (11-6) gave up one run on five hits to record his career-best 11th victory. His other complete game came in a one-hitter against the Phillies on August 13. The right-hander, who also struck out four and walked three, improved to 7-1 at home this year.</p>
<p>Beltran and Nick Evans each hit a solo homer for the Mets, who won 1-0 in the series opener.</p>
<p>John Bowker drove in the lone run for the Pirates, who have lost five of six. Zach Duke (7-14) got rocked in 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs — seven earned — on nine hits.</p>
<p>The Mets got the run parade started in the home half. Jose Reyes singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and crossed the plate on Pagan’s base hit up the middle.</p>
<p>New York added three more runs in the second to make it 4-0. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. Pagan knocked in two runs with a double to right and Ryan Doumit’s fielding error on the play allowed another run to score.</p>
<p>Beltran and Evans homered in the third to give the Mets a six-run advantage.</p>
<p>New York put a three-spot on the board in the fourth to extend its lead to 9-0. Ruben Tejada led off with an infield single, moved to second on a Dickey sacrifice bunt, and raced home on Reyes’ single. Joe Martinez replaced Duke on the mound and gave up a single to Pagan. Beltran followed with a two- run double.</p>
<p>Dickey retired nine straight batters before giving up a two-out walk to Pedro Alvarez in the seventh.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh finally got to Dickey in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco led off with a triple and scored when pinch-hitter Bowker grounded out. Andy LaRoche reached on third baseman David Wright’s fielding error then Jones followed with a single to put men on first and second. Dickey, though, retired the next two batters to finish the third complete game of his career.</p>
<p>The Mets lead the season series with the Pirates, 4-1…New York pitcher Johan Santana underwent successful surgery Tuesday morning to repair the tear of his anterior capsule of the left shoulder. The surgery was performed by Mets Medical Director Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan…Duke fell to 4-2 in eight career starts versus the Mets.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/9/14/1689559/mets-dickey-now-has-career-high-11-victoriesEd Valentine2010-09-14T14:34:20-04:002010-09-14T14:34:20-04:00Pirates At Mets: Dickey Tries To Continue Improbable Success
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<p>(Sports Network) - It's safe to say that not many would have guessed that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31375/R_A_Dickey">R.A. Dickey</a> would end up being the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/new-york-mets">Mets</a> best pitcher of the season. As he looks to continue his incredible run, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/pittsburgh-pirates">Pirates</a> starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/395/Zach_Duke">Zach Duke</a> may have trouble keeping pace.</p>
<p>Dickey goes for a career-best 11th victory of the season while Duke attempts to rebound from the shortest outing of his career tonight in the second meeting of a four-game set between New York and Pittsburgh at Citi Field.</p>
<p>The 35-year-old Dickey ranks ninth in the National League with a 2.91 earned run average, even if he has just a 10-6 mark to show for it. He rebounded after giving up seven runs over six innings in a loss at Chicago on Sept. 3 by holding the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/washington-nationals">Nationals</a> to a pair of runs over six frames on Wednesday in a 3-2 triumph.</p>
<p>"I just tried to slow the game down," Dickey said. "I've found the more I'm able to do that, the better results I've been having. It takes a long time to learn how to do that, it has for me at least."</p>
<p>Dickey, whose previous career-high win total was nine set in 38 games (13 starts) with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/texas-rangers">Rangers</a> in 2003, is an excellent 6-1 with a 1.85 ERA in eight starts at home this year. However, the right-handed knuckleballer has a 5.87 ERA in two games lifetime against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a>, one of those a start.</p>
<p>Duke hasn't been anywhere near as effective as Dickey. The Pirates left-hander has allowed four runs in each of his last three starts and had a two-decision win streak end on Wednesday versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/atlanta-braves">Braves</a>. Duke lasted just one-plus inning and 11 batters, allowing six hits and two walks.</p>
<p>"Just wasn't commanding the ball," said Duke, who is 7-13 with a 5.47 ERA in 25 starts. "I wasn't able to put the fastball where I wanted to. The times I did, it found a hole."</p>
<p>The 27-year-old has a 6.14 road ERA this year, but is 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA in seven career starts versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>. That includes a win on Aug. 22 in which he outpitched <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/733/Johan_Santana">Johan Santana</a> with seven innings of one-run ball.</p>
<p>Offense was a premium in Monday night's opener as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33956/Nick_Evans">Nick Evans</a> singled home <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/70971/Ruben_Tejada">Ruben Tejada</a> with one out in the 10th inning to give the Mets a 1-0 victory and their major-league leading 19th shutout of the season, one ahead of both the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/philadelphia-phillies">Phillies</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/san-diego-padres">Padres</a>.</p>
<p>In just his second major league start, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69235/Dillon_Gee">Dillon Gee</a> contributed six scoreless innings to the victory, New York's fourth in six games, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/107500/Hisanori_Takahashi">Hisanori Takahashi</a> got the win with two scoreless frames of relief.</p>
<p>"I was definitely upset that I didn't feel that good tonight, but it's definitely a positive step in the right direction that I can go out there without my best stuff and figure out a way to get some people out," Gee said.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31267/James_McDonald">James McDonald</a> got the start for the Pirates and spun eight scoreless innings, working around five hits, but Chan-Ho Park absorbed the loss for the Pirates, who have lost four of their last five.</p>
<p>"We've got to figure out a way to win," Pittsburgh's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/32599/Andrew_McCutchen">Andrew McCutchen</a> said. "It's all about the process. We feel good about where we are and the kind of team we have and what we're able to do. Now it's about trying to win those close games."</p>
<p>New York took two of three in Pittsburgh from Aug. 20-22.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/9/14/2320969/pirates-at-mets-dickey-tries-to-continue-improbable-successEd Valentine