Dickey wanted to swing away vs. Lincecum
R.A. Dickey knew the Mets weren't going to get many shots at Tim Lincecum, and after popping up a bunt in the third inning, he wanted to swing away in the fifth with runners at the corners and one out. The odds of him getting a hit off the back-to-back Cy Young winner were slim and Jerry Manuel had to figure Angel Pagan was a better bet with Mets at second and third and two outs. But here's how the inning broke down, with Dickey questioning the decision to bunt afterward.
After a leadoff walk to Jason Bay in the fifth, Josh Thole's line-drive single skimmed the back of a ducking Lincecum before shooting into centerfield. Ruben Tejada's fly ball got Bay to third base with one out, but Dickey put a dent in the rally by bunting Thole to second rather than taking a shot at swinging away for a run. Angel Pagan then flied out to kill the threat.
"That's a touchy thing," Dickey said of the bunt call. "That was put on by the manager. I just have to execute what I can control. But in retrospect, you'd like to take a shot there. It was tough."
