Just in case there was any lingering doubt about R.A. Dickey’s case to start for the National League in the upcoming All-Star Game, he pretty much clinched it last night.
After giving up five runs over six innings against the Yankees on Sunday, Dickey bounced right back by tossing eight shutout innings as part of a 9-0 rout over the fading Dodgers. With the victory, he became the first pitcher in the majors to reach 12 wins this season. As if you need wins to tell you that R.A. Dickey is awesome.
Dickey actually held the Dodgers to just one hit, a fly ball that center fielder Andres Torres really should have caught, over the first six innings. A.J. Ellis managed a single in the seventh and Tony Gwynn, Jr. doubled in the eighth, but that’s all the Dodgers could muster. Dickey walked one and struck out 10 in the victory.
Dickey’s June numbers were simply ridiculous: 0.93 ERA, 55/8 K/BB ratio over 48 1/3 innings, three complete games and two shutouts. The 37-year-old now has an incredible 2.15 ERA and 116/25 K/BB ratio over 113 innings this season. I hope Buster Posey and/or Yadier Molina are ready to catch some knuckleballs.
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