Terry Collins On Mets: 'We Need To Find Some Energy'
TORONTO (CBSNewYork/AP) — The New York Mets are in a bit of a rut, and manager Terry Collins thinks his team needs a boost after a second straight blowout loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
R.A. Dickey pitched into the eighth inning to earn the win against his former team, Chris Colabello hit a solo homer and Toronto beat New York 7-1 on Thursday night.
"We're playing a little sluggishly right now," Collins said. "We need to find some energy. We need to reach down inside here and figure out a way to pick up the pace a little bit more."
The Mets dropped to 10-21 on the road, and lost for the 13th time in their past 16 away from home. Michael Cuddyer said a lack of offense, and not a lack of energy, is the main problem for the Mets.
"Had we gone out and put runs on the board, nobody would say we were sluggish," Cuddyer said. "We have to do that, we have to go out and put runs on the board."
Dickey, 40, beat 42-year-old Bartolo Colon (9-5) in the first matchup between two starting pitchers in their 40s since Aug. 15, 2008, when Philadelphia's Jamie Moyer (45) beat San Diego's Greg Maddux (42).
"I was happy that the young buck won tonight," Dickey joked.
Jose Bautista drove in two runs as the Blue Jays, who lost back-to-back games at Citi Field earlier this week, swept two against the visiting Mets. Toronto is 13-3 in June and has won eight straight at home.
Dickey (3-6) allowed one run and three hits and overcame five walks for his first victory since May 21.
The knuckleballer, who won the National League Cy Young with the Mets in 2012, didn't give up a hit until Juan Lagares' two-out double in the fifth. He left after Lucas Duda's one-out homer in the eighth.
"Guys were coming back saying it was pretty impressive," Collins said. "When he's on, he's tough to hit, and you have no way to prepare for it."
The only active major leaguer who played for the Montreal Expos, Colon got roughed up in his return to Canada, giving up seven runs — six earned — and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings, matching his shortest start of the season.
Kevin Pillar opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second, then broke up a potential double play on Ryan Goins' RBI grounder to prolong Toronto's five-run fourth. Jose Reyes singled home a run, Josh Donaldson hit an RBI double and Bautista capped the rally with a two-run single.
"It was just that one inning that they capitalized on some mistakes," Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said of Colon. "Other than that, he got the outs."
Colabello made it 7-0 with a leadoff homer in the fifth.
Duda's 10th home run snapped New York's scoreless streak at 21 innings.
DECISION TIME
Colon has received a decision in 26 consecutive starts, a Mets record. Dwight Gooden had a decision in 25 straight from June 2, 1993, to June 24, 1994.
SIGNING DAY
The Mets signed their top two selections from last week's draft. OF Desmond Lindsay was picked in the second round, 53rd overall, while LHP Max Wotell went in the third round, 88th overall.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Collins said Kevin Plawecki will start at catcher Friday to give d'Arnaud a day off. D'Arnaud missed more than six weeks with a broken finger earlier this season.
Blue Jays: 1B Edwin Encarnacion got the day off. ... 2B Maicer Izturis is expected to miss the rest of the season after having right shoulder surgery Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (7-4, 2.33) gets the start as New York opens a three-game series in Atlanta on Friday. DeGrom is 4-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his past six starts. The Braves had yet to name a starter.
Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (4-3, 4.24) starts the opener of a three-game series against Baltimore. RHP Mike Wright (2-2, 4.13) will pitch for the Orioles. After going winless in his first five starts, Estrada has won the past three.
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