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| The Mets’ R.A. Dickey strikes out a career-high 13 in his second straight one-hitter. (Getty Images) |
NEW YORK -- OK, so it wasn't a no-hitter.
There's no way to appeal, no silly questions. Which is great, because instead of asking whether R.A. Dickey should have had a no-hitter, we can marvel at what he did have Monday night.
A one-hitter.
Another one-hitter.
A second straight one-hitter.
What the Mets' knuckleballer is doing these days is incredible, and what he has done the last two weeks is beyond incredible. He's the first pitcher to throw back-to-back one-hitters since Dave Stieb in 1988, and the first National League pitcher with two straight starts of no more than one hit since Jim Tobin in 1944. (Tobin had a one-hitter and a no-hitter.)
He absolutely dominated the Orioles in Monday's 5-0 win, when the only hit was a Wilson Betemit single -- a clean single to center field -- with two out in the fifth inning. He walked two, and he struck out 13.
It was amazing to watch. He's been amazing to watch.
He's now gone 42 2/3 innings since last allowing an earned run, and he's now had seven straight starts with eight or more strikeouts.
And he's thrown two straight one hitters.
Amazing.
And no, the Mets aren't appealing to have Betemit's hit changed, the way they unsuccessfully asked for B.J. Upton's infield hit to be changed to an error in Dickey's last start.
But manager Terry Collins did joke about it.
"Did anyone dive for it?" Collins asked.
In this case, no. It's a one-hitter, and that's enough.
