R.A. Dickey may have let Tony La Russa off the hook.
Hours after the National League All-Star manager questioned whether he could start the knuckleballer because of a new catcher’s ability to handle Dickey’s puzzling pitch, the 37-year-old journeyman-turned-ace turned in one of his worst outings of the season in the Mets’ 6-5 win over the Phillies last night at Citi Field.
Dickey (12-1) was in line for his first loss since April 13 after pitching seven innings, giving up five runs and tying a career-high with 11 hits allowed, but he escaped with a no-decision after Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon’s ninth-inning meltdown preserved Dickey’s career-high 10-game winning streak.
“Baseball’s just a fantastic game. The story goes from Dickey stinks to [David] Wright’s the best and [Ruben] Tejada’s the best,” said Dickey, who went 1-for-2 with a run scored, tying a career-high four-game hit streak. “What a fun win for us as a team. Everybody pitched in. I didn’t have my best knuckleball tonight. I was stinky for a few innings, but I fought as hard as I could, as we all did, and you saw the results.”
The results from Dickey were unlike anything anyone has grown accustomed to seeing. Dickey’s knuckleball was dancing, just often not to the tune he was playing.
He allowed the Phillies leadoff hitter to reach base in the first four innings and gave up a first-inning run for the first time this season, striking out seven, for an N.L.-leading 123, walking one and hitting one batter.
With the Mets leading 4-3 in the sixth inning, Dickey gave up a one-out single to pitcher Cole Hamels then allowed a game-tying triple to Jimmy Rollins. One pitch later, Juan Pierre brought Rollins in with the go-ahead run on a safety squeeze.
Having allowed one run over seven innings in a win against the Phillies on April 13, Dickey is now 1-1 with a 7.79 ERA in three starts against teams he has faced a second-time this season.
“I didn’t deserve to get a no-decision, I deserved to lose the game,” said Dickey. “I’d throw a good one, then it would go away. I didn’t have a great feel for it. It just wasn’t as consistent as I’m used to, but if seven innings and five runs and keeping us in the game is my worst outing, it has been a good year.”
Unquestionably, but the main reason he earned his first-ever appearance in the All-Star Game is the same reason he may not be starting it.
“There is an issue about catching him and what spot to use him,” La Russa said on a conference call yesterday. “His season has gotten everybody’s attention, including our staff’s, and we’re talking about the best way to just win the game with the personnel and how we use Dickey will be a part of that.”
Dickey was unaware of the former Cardinals manager’s comments, but said he understood his trepidation, even if he doesn’t think it should keep him out of the conversation as a starter.
“It’s a logical concern, but it’s not one that I feel overly concerned about myself because I’ve come up with new guys catching me all the time,” said Dickey, who added he would bring an oversized mitt for the catchers. “You’re talking about a caliber of player, all those guys are great catchers and great athletes.”
howard.kussoy@nypost.com