One of the few bright spots to another disappointing season goes tonight at Citi Field, where the crowd expects to be slim.
R.A. Dickey (8-5, 2.41) will be starting for the Mets, but he’ll go against Cy Young candidate Josh Johnson, who is 7-1 lifetime against the Mets.
Also making it tough for Dickey is the Mets’ lackluster offense, which has scored three of fewer runs in 10 of its last 13 games. Once dominant at Citi Field, the Mets have 10 runs to show for in their last seven games here.
With a little support, Dickey could easily have at least 12 wins, which would tie him with Mike Pelfrey for the club lead. Since joining the Mets’ rotation, Dickey has made a quality start in 14 of 18 games. In his last eight starts since the All-Star break he’s pitched to a 1.99 ERA, but the offense is giving him 1.99 runs a game in that span to leave him with a 2-3 record.
In his last start, Dickey gave up a game-tying homer with one out in the ninth inning at Houston in a game the Mets eventually won in 14 innings.
Since Johnson presents a formidable foe, Dickey must be at his best tonight. He is 5-1 with a 1.22 ERA at Citi Field.