Lots to say about the 35th one-hitter in franchise history (34 in the regular season, plus Bobby Jones in the playoffs). Here are a few notes with the help of our resources from Baseball-Reference.com and the Elias Sports Bureau.
• This was the Mets second one-hitter of the season (and R.A. Dickey's second -- he had one in the minors too). The last time the Mets had at least two one-hitters in a season (nine-innings or longer) was in 2003. They had three one-hitters in 2007, but two were in games shorter than nine innings.
One-Hit Shutout by Mets Pitcher
Two or fewer baserunners allowed
• This is the first time in Mets history that they've had a pair of pitchers throw one-hit shutouts, with each pitcher yielding two baserunners or fewer (Jonathon Niese went one better than Dickey, yielding only one baserunner).
• This was the fifth time the Mets pitched a one-hitter against the Phillies, the first time since May 11, 1985, which was a combined effort between Sid Fernandez and Roger McDowell. The last Met with a complete-game one-hitter against the Phillies was Terry Leach (10 innings!) on October 1, 1982.
CG One-Hit Shutout vs Phillies
Mets History
• This was the fifth 1-0 one-hitter in Mets history, the first since May 21, 2002, when Shawn Estes pitched one against the Brewers. The lone hit was by former ESPN baseball analyst Eric Young.
• This is the fourth time in Mets history that they pitched a one-hitter and the opposing pitcher had the only hit. That last happened on August 18, 2003, when Chin-Hui Tsao broke up Steve Trachsel's no-hit bid with a sixth-inning double.
More on that from the Elias Sports Bureau-- It's only the third time in the last 17 years that a pitcher threw a one-hitter with the only hit allowed coming from a pitcher. The others were Tim Hudson with the Braves on May 1, 2006 (hit by Jason Jennings of the Rockies) and Steve Trachsel of the Mets on August 18, 2003 (hit by Chin-Hui Tsao of the Rockies).
• The Mets have recorded shutouts in their last four home games against the Phillies. They've only done that against one team previously -- in 1988 against the Pirates.
• Dickey is the 14th pitcher to throw a shutout, allowing one hit or fewer in the majors this season, the most pitchers to do so in a season since 14 did so in 1993.
• The Mets got shutouts in consecutive games from their starting pitchers, the first time they've done that since May 14-15, 2002 when Pedro Astacio and Jeff D'Amico tossed consecutive two-hit shutouts against the Dodgers.
• From Stats and Info's Mike Lynch-- This was the fifth time this season that the Mets shut out the Phillies. That would be the second-most times the Phillies have ever been shut out by the Mets in a season. The only season it happened more: 1969, when the Mets threw seven shutouts against the Phillies---the Mets won the World Series that year.
• More from Stats and Info -- Since they entered the majors in 1962, the Mets have 32 regular-season one-hitters, lasting nine innings or longer. Only the Cubs (38) and Dodgers (34) have thrown more one-hitters in games at least 9 innings in length.
Mets Get One-Hitter
Opposing Pitcher With Hit
• Baseball's most prominent active knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield, hasn't thrown a shutout since 1997 and the best of his shutouts was a four-hitter. Knuckleballers to throw a no-hitter include Hall of Famers Hoyt Wilhelm and Phil Niekro.
• Lastly an update from a note we posted this morning, Ruben Tejada, whose play we wrote about earlier this week, must think that shutouts are a way of life. He's started in 10 of the Mets shutouts this season.
In fact, in Tejada's 25 starts at second base, the Mets have recorded nine shutouts. In Tejada's last 10 games starting at that position, the Mets have six wins -- all shutouts
Mark Simon is a researcher for Baseball Tonight