Remembering Mets History: (2010 / 2012) R.A. Dickey's Three One Hitters
Wednesday June 13th 2012: Terry Collins' Mets (34-29) were in second place just five games back as they visited Joe Maddon's third place Tampa Rays (35-27). Collins sent the hot Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey (9-1) to the mound against David Price (8-3).This was to be R.A. Dickeys best effort up this point, he would go to strike out twelve Rays, while walking no one. In the 1st inning, Rays third batter B.J. Upton hit a weak grounder to third base, he reached on an infield hit. This would be the only hit of the game as Dickey would pitch the 36th one hit game in Mets history.
Dickey would only have two runners reach base, Upton & in the 9th inning Elliot Johnson, reached on an error. He got to third on two passed balls, as Dickey's knuckle ball got by catcher Mike Nickeas. As Desmond Jennings grounded out, Johnson scored the Rays only run.The Mets offense got to Price in the 5th inning, Ike Davis doubled & scored on Mike Nickeas' single. After Andres Torres doubled, Daniel Murphy brought in Nickeas with a single. In the 6th Scott Hairston & Jason Bay singled. Vinny Rottino doubled in Hairston & Ike Davis singled in Bay making it 5-0. Omar Quintanilla singled home Rottino & Davis for a 7-0 lead.
In the 9th Torres & Murphy got aboard with hits & were driven in by David Wright, finishing off the 9-0 Mets win.
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Dickey's knuckle ball was possibly better than his last outing. On this night he would strike out 13 batters, while walking two in the 5-0 shut out. The only hit came in the 5th inning on Steve Pearce's base hit. The crowd of 29,014 stood up to applaud Dickey after Pearce got the hit. Dickey returned the thrill by completing the 37th one hitter in Mets history, his personal third.
The O's starter that night was Jake Arrieta the future Cubs 2015 ace. He was pitching a fine game himself, until the 6th inning.
Dickey led off with a base hit, Jordany Valdespin doubled & with two outs Lucas Duda drew a walk. Ike Davis came up & blasted a grand slam to center field, putting Dickey & the Mets up 4-0. It was his 7th HR of the year. David Wright added an RBI single in the 8th inning to complete the 5-0 win. Dickey had not allowed a run in 42 2/3 innings up to that point. Dickey was the first pitcher to throw back to back one hitters, since the Toronto Blue Jays' Dave Stieb did it back in 1988. The last NL pitcher to accomplish that feat was Jim Tobin for the 1944 Boston Braves.
R.A. Dickey would go on to win twenty games (20-6) lead the NL in strike outs (230) starts (33) complete games (5) & shut outs (3) while winning the 2012 NL Cy Young Award.
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Friday August 13th 2010: Charlie Manuel's second place Philadelphia Phillies (64-51) came to Citi Field to face Jerry Manuel's third place Mets (58-57). Tonight's starters; R.A. Dickey (7-5) & Cole Hamels (7-8) thrilled the crowd of 35,440 with a 1-0 pitchers duel.Dickey was rolling along and by the 6th inning was still throwing a no hitter. But then the pitcher Cole Hamels singled to right field. It was the only hit that Dickey would allow that evening. He struck out seven & walked just one, earning his eighth win of the year.
The Mets got to Hamels in the 6th inning as well with doubles from David Wright & Carlos Beltran. It was the only run of the game.