BALTIMORE — Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey baffled the Baltimore Orioles for seven innings, Chris Carter hit his first major league homer, and the New York Mets coasted to a 5-1 victory Friday night.
Dickey (4-0) gave up one run and seven hits to win his fourth straight start. The right-hander had a career-high eight strikeouts, including Corey Patterson three times and Adam Jones twice.
Since his promotion from Triple-A Buffalo on May 19, the 35-year-old has gone at least six innings in each of his five starts and has a 2.78 ERA.
Carter hit a three-run shot in the fourth inning to stake the Mets to a 4-0 lead against Jeremy Guthrie (3-7). The drive came on his 51st at-bat in the big leagues, including 23 with Boston over the past two seasons.
David Wright had three hits and two RBIs for the Mets, who won for the sixth time in seven games and improved their road record to 9-18. New York has not yet captured a road series and hasn't recorded consecutive wins on the road since July 25-26 in Houston.
All that can change Saturday, when the Mets again face the last-place Orioles. Baltimore has lost 13 of 15 and owns the worst record in the majors (17-44).
The Orioles went 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position and struck out a season-high 12 times. Baltimore's lone run came when Patterson scored on a wild pitch by Dickey in the seventh.
Guthrie allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings. He has lost his last three starts.
The Mets went up 1-0 in the first when Jose Reyes led off with a double and scored on a single by Wright. Jones saved another run with an outstanding diving catch in center field on a hooking liner hit by Jason Bay.
Carter connected in the fourth after Ike Davis singled and Bay drew a walk.
In the bottom half, the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs before Dickey struck out Luke Scott and Jones, then retired Matt Wieters on a popup.
Baltimore also wasted a leadoff double by Nick Markakis in the sixth.
Wright doubled in a run in the eighth off Brad Bergesen, making his first career relief appearance.
Notes
New York's interleague record improved to 108-107 (14-9 vs. Baltimore). … Mets manager Jerry Manuel says it's possible that OF Carlos Beltran can be the DH at Yankee Stadium next weekend. Beltran hasn't played this season after surgery to his right knee. … LHP Alberto Castillo, who was designated for assignment by Baltimore on Thursday, cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.
