Dickey's 5-hit shutout good enough for 17th win

Associated Press Sports

updated 9:54 p.m. ET Aug. 31, 2012

MIAMI (AP) - R.A. Dickey insisted he couldn't afford to think about 20 wins despite moving to within three victories of the milestone on Friday night.

"I've found when I don't live in the moment, it doesn't work out for R.A.," he said.

The knuckleballer pitched a five-hit shutout, Ike Davis backed him with a home run and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 3-0.

Dickey (17-4) is tied with Cincinnati's Johnny Cueto and Washington's Gio Gonzalez for the major league lead in wins.

Dickey struck out seven and walked three in his NL-leading fifth complete game. He has three shutouts this year and six in his career.

"I'm running out of things to say about him," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He threw some knuckleballs tonight that nobody is going to hit."

Dickey's year has put him in NL Cy Young Award contention.

"Sure I hope for it. What pitcher, what little kid doesn't grow up wanting to be a Cy Young winner? Obviously, the hope is inside me," Dickey said.

He is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA against Miami this season.

"Dickey was outstanding," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Make sure when he's got the speech for the Cy Young that he mentions the Marlins. We would appreciate that."

Dickey was especially tough on his fellow All-Star, former teammate Jose Reyes.

Dickey struck out a swinging Reyes with runners on first and second to end the third inning. Dickey picked off the speedy Reyes at first to finish the sixth.

"For a right-hander, I think I've only seen a couple of guys with a pickoff move as good," Collins said.

The Marlins put runners at first and second in the eighth, but Reyes grounded out and Carlos Lee flied out.

The game took just 2 hours, 7 minutes.

Davis hit his 25th homer, a two-run shot off Nathan Eovaldi (4-10) in the seventh inning. Davis also had a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

"The home run was just a curveball I saw pretty well. I usually don't hit those very well, so I was a kind of surprised I hit it," Davis said.

Eovaldi (4-10) allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out one.

The Mets won despite getting just four hits. The loss dropped the last-place Marlins three games behind fourth-place New York in the NL East.

Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy opened the Mets fourth with singles, putting runners on first and third. After David Wright lined out, Davis hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

Wright led off the seventh with a single and Davis followed with a drive into the right-field seats. Davis has hit 18 of his home runs this season on the road.

NOTES: The series continues Saturday night when Mets RHP Jeremy Hefner (2-5, 4.65 ERA) opposes Marlins RHP Josh Johnson (7-11, 4.00). ... The Mets announced a four-year extension with Double-A affiliate Binghamton of the Eastern League. ... Miami's Donovan Solano (0 for 4) had his 12-game hitting streak snapped. ... It was Miami's fastest home game of the season.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/48867542/ns/sports-baseball/

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