Padres Beat Mets; R.A. Dickey Loses

R.A. Dickey was attempting on Friday to become the first pitcher to reach 15 wins this season. He’ll have to wait until his next start, thanks in part to a botched play at the plate.

The game was scoreless until the fourth when with Scott Hairston on first and David Wright on third with two outs, Ronny Cedeno hit a grounder up the middle. The second baseman tracked it down and flipped it to the shortstop for the force at second. But the ball sailed past the shortstop and Wright scored from third. Hairston was thrown out trying to advance to third. It was ruled a hit for Cedeno as the Mets took a 1-0 lead.

The Padres finally broke through against Dickey in the sixth. A walk, sacrifice, stolen base and sacrifice fly tied the game at one.

Things fell apart in the seventh. With one out Carlos Quentin singled. Yonder Alonso hit a ball that fell into deep right center. Quentin was waved around to score. The relay throw beat him, but Quentin lowered his shoulder and hit Josh Thole, knocking the ball free to make it a 2-1 game. Thole had the plate partially blocked, but he seemed to shy away from the contact and stuck his glove out, allowing Quentin to get the ball out. Alonso advanced to third on Thole’s error. He scored when Jeff Baker singled, extending the lead to 3-1.

Dickey went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned), striking out nine. He walked three and allowed only four hits; he held the Padres hitless into the fifth. Dickey deserved a better fate, as his record falls to 14-3.

The Mets tried to get something going in the eighth. Pinch hitter Justin Turner led off with a single, chasing Clayton Richard from the game. Ruben Tejada greeted Luke Gregerson with a single. But Andres Torres and Wright struck out. Huston Street was brought in to face pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin. He grounded out to end the inning.

Mets lose 3-1.