Dickey earns 20th victory

NEW YORK — R.A. Dickey was so close yet so far from 20 wins, faltering from fatigue and fuming he had failed to seize the moment.

"About the fourth or fifth inning I felt exasperated. I was not myself today for the most part," he said.

"And then I would come out for an at-bat and I would hear this kind of growing surge, and it really was neat. I mean I don't know if I've ever experienced something like that before. Maybe I never will again," he said.

Absorbing the energy from 31,506 fans at the final home game of another sorry Mets season, Dickey summoned his strength and concentration. David Wright boosted him into the lead with a tiebreaking three-run homer, and Dickey led New York over Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 Thursday to become the first knuckleballer in more than three decades to win 20 games.

Throwing his hard knuckler at up to 125.5 kph, Dickey (20-6) allowed three runs and eight hits in 7? innings, tying his career high with 13 strikeouts and walking two.

Quite a turnaround from 2010, when Dickey began the season at Triple-A Buffalo and had to prove he belonged in the majors. And from last year, when he was 8-13.

Dickey became the first 20-game knuckleballer to accomplish the feat since Houston's Joe Niekro in 1980, according to STATS LLC.

Reds 2, Brewers 1

In Cincinnati, Dioner Navarro hit a ninth-inning RBI triple to lift the Reds.

Milwaukee's Norichika Aoki was hitless in four at-bats.

Nationals 7, Phillies 3

In Philadelphia, Gio Gonzalez became the first 21-game winner in the majors, Michael Morse hit two homers and Washington beat the Phillies to move closer to an NL East title.

Braves 6, Marlins 2

In Atlanta, David Ross and Andrelton Simmons raced home on left fielder Bryan Petersen's costly error, sending Tommy Hanson and the Braves to a victory over Miami.

Giants 7, Diamondbacks 3

In San Francisco, midseason acquisitions Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro each hit two-run homers to back Barry Zito.

Dodgers 8, Padres 4

In San Diego, Chris Capuano won for the first time in eight starts and Los Angeles inched closer in the wild-card race.

Rockies 7, Cubs 5

In Denver, Jordan Pacheco and DJ LeMahieu homered, leading Colorado over Chicago for a three-game sweep.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Rangers 9, Athletics 7

In Arlington, Texas, Ian Kinsler got Texas started with a leadoff homer, Matt Harrison earned his 18th victory and the AL West-leading Rangers topped Oakland.

Mariners 9, Angels 4

In Anaheim, John Jaso hit a two-run homer and an RBI double for Seattle, and Los Angeles wasted a chance to get within one game of an AL wild-card spot.

Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (8-5) pitched six innings of seven-hit ball.

Tigers 5, Royals 4

In Detroit, Doug Fister set an AL record by striking out nine straight batters and the Tigers kept their lead in the Central, beating Kansas City on Alex Avila's grounder in the ninth inning.

Rays 3, White Sox 2

In Chicago, Evan Longoria hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth for victorious Tampa Bay.

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 0

In Toronto, Brandon Morrow and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, pitching the hosts to a victory that trimmed New York's tight lead in the AL East.

Ichiro Suzuki was 0-for-4 for the Yankees.

CLEVELAND — Manager Manny Acta was fired Thursday by the Cleveland Indians, who collapsed from contention with a 5-24 record in August, the worst month in the franchise's 112-year history.

Sandy Alomar Jr. was named the interim manager.

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