Dickey: Try hitting this...
(c) Associated Press
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The young Astros would rather hit Johan Santana than the knuckleballs of R.A. Dickey, or so it seems. Dickey allowed six hits over seven innings and added a two-run single in the four-run second inning to pace the New York Mets over Houston, 5-1, on Sunday.
The Astros broke through in the third when Jason Castro doubled and Michael Bourn brought him home with an infield single. But the Astros squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the fourth and Dickey resumed command after that.
That wasn't enough to help Bud Norris who lost his control in the second and was touched for four runs. It looked like he could have escaped his own bases-full situation but Dickey bounced a single past Geoff Blum at second to plate two and the New Yorkers quickly added two more before the third out could be recorded on a caught stealing.
Norris allowed just one run the rest of his 5-2/3rd inning stint when catcher Josh Thole homered in the sixth.
Tommy Manzella had two more hits for Houston while batting in the second slot, coming off three hits the night before. Castro and Blum also had multi-hit games.
The road-weary Astros return home Monday for a brief three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals before hitting the road again. Jake Westbrook (7-9, 1-2 as a Redbird) will start for St. Louis against J.A. Happ (4-2) in Monday's 7:05 Central tipoff at Minute Maid Park. Happ suffered his worst big league start in an August 4th game at Busch and homes to exact some revenge.
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