Mets Take Series Opener Behind Davis and Dickey

Friday, August 31^st 2012

Final Score: New York Mets: 3 Miami Marlins: 0

Ike Davis and R.A. Dickey Power Mets to Victory

The good play of the Mets continued Friday night in their series opener against the Miami Marlins, as they took the opener 3-0.  Not much offense was provided by the Mets in the game tonight, but it was not needed as R.A. Dickey dominated the Marlins for his third shutout of the season.

The great performance by Dickey tonight gives him 17 on the season, tying him for the major league lead with Cincinnati Reds’ Johnny Cueto and Washington Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez, who also got his 17^th win tonight.

Dickey threw a complete game shutout tonight, giving him five complete games on the season; that is the most complete games in a season for a Mets pitcher since Dwight Gooden in 1993. 

                                                                                                                       

Dickey was helped out by a move made pre-game by manager Terry Collins, as he inserted Florida native Andres Torres into the starting lineup in centerfield for the game.  Collins cited the spacious outfield at Marlins Park for the move, and it paid off as Torres made a good play with a runner on first and no outs in the eighth inning as the Mets were trying to preserve the shutout and win for Dickey.

On the night, Dickey gave up five hits and three walks to go along with seven strikeouts.  Dickey improved his season totals to a 17-4 record with a 2.63 ERA.

Ike Davis provided all of the offensive fire power at the plate tonight for the Mets, accounting for all three of the RBI’s.  Davis got the Mets on the board in the 4^th inning, hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Ruben Tejada.  Tejada deserves as much credit as Davis for getting the run across the plate, as his aggressive and smart base running put him in position to score on something other than a base hit.

Davis would add the finishing touches in the 7^th inning, launching his 18^th road homerun of the season and 25^th overall on the season.  Davis planted the homerun in the upper-deck in right field.  His 18 road homers are the most in the National League and the 25 are just adding to his career high. 

Jose Reyes went hitless in the game tonight, something that Met fans will undoubtedly take pleasure in as there are still some hostile feelings towards Reyes after he left this past off-season. 

For all of the futility the Mets have faced recently, they have actually been pretty successful on the road.  They have accrued a 73-70 record on the road under Collins, something that should be built off of.  If the Mets can continue to play at or above .500 on the road and excel at home, success should follow soon after.

Next up for the Mets and Marlins is a Saturday night game at 7:10 P.M. ET.  Jeremy Hefner (2-5, 4.65 ERA) will take the mound against Josh Johnson (7-11, 4.00 ERA).