R.A. Dickey pulled in second inning of Game 4 after giving up two home runs
TORONTO – So far through two ALCS games in Toronto, both teams have had to deal with short outings from a starting pitcher.
In the Blue Jays’ 11-8 win in Game 3, Royals starter Johnny Cueto couldn’t get out of the third inning. It was R.A. Dickey’s turn to struggle in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Dickey was pulled after allowing five runs, four of them earned, over 1 2/3 innings. He served up a two-run home run to Ben Zobrist in the first and a solo shot to Alex Rios in the second. The Blue Jays entered Game 4 trailing in the series 2-1.
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When Dickey first began to experiment with the knuckleball as his primary pitch, he did not experience instant success.
In his first game as a true knuckleballer in April 2006 he gave up six home runs – tying a modern major-league record – in 3 1/3 innings while pitching for the Texas Rangers. It’s a game he often references when talking about the trials and tribulations he’s overcome throughout his career. He only allowed two Tuesday, but given the stakes, Dickey must have felt the same emotions leaving the mound than he did on the day he saw six fly over the outfield wall nearly 10 years ago.
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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr
