ESPN:
R.A. Dickey became the first major league pitcher in 24 years to throw consecutive one-hitters and Ike Davis hit a grand slam to lead the New York Mets past the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 on Monday night.
Coming off a one-hit gem at Tampa Bay last Wednesday, the knuckleballer struck out a career-high 13 and allowed only Wilson Betemit's clean single in the fifth inning.
The previous pitcher to throw consecutive one-hitters was Dave Stieb for
Toronto in September 1988, according to STATS LLC. The Mets said the
last to do it in the National League was Jim Tobin with the Boston
Braves in 1944, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau.The
37-year-old Dickey (11-1) walked two and became the first 11-game
winner in the majors, baffling Baltimore with knucklers that ranged from
66-81 mph in a game that took just 2 hours, 7 minutes. He fanned his
final two hitters, topping his previous career best of 12 strikeouts set
Wednesday against the Rays.Dickey has won nine straight
decisions and six consecutive starts. It was his fourth game this season
with double-digit strikeouts and the fifth of his career. The
right-hander has an incredible 71 strikeouts and six walks in his last
seven starts, lowering his ERA to 2.00.
11-1 with a 2.00 ERA? Pretty damn amazing for a knuckleballer. And the first guy to throw back-to-back one-hitters since Dave Stieb in 1988? Didn't know that.
And both of Stieb's hits were with 2 outs in the 9th
ReplyDeleteThat is true.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely LOVE knuckleballers. Watching their pitches from the catcher's position made me wonder how anyone could ever hit one. I know they were almost impossible to catch.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem with the knuckleball is that as the air cools down, they stop moving around. Below about 45° F, the knuckleball becomes just a big slow pitch waiting to be crushed. So during the playoffs and the world series, the knuckleball pitcher isn't worth much. And while I don't know this, I cannot imagine a knuckleballer being very effective in an indoor stadium—especially one with an air-spported roof.
As a very amateur knuckleball pitcher, I know how quickly an unhittable knuckleball can quit working. That just makes Dickey's streak all the more amazing. There is absolutely nothing better for me in baseball than seeing a knuckleball dancing into the plate.
ReplyDelete