Youth was served in a battle of aging pitchers, giving R.A. Dickey his first victory in five starts.
The 40-year-old Dickey pitched into the eighth inning to earn the win against his former team, Chris Colabello hit a solo homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Mets 7-1 on Thursday night.
Dickey 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 on three hits and overcame five walks for his first victory since May 21.
"He gutted it out," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He was determined."
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The knuckleballer, who won the NL 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.
"His ball was dancing a lot today," said Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud, one of the players acquired in the November 2012, trade that sent Dickey to Toronto.
The Mets dropped to 10-21 on the road, and lost for the 13th time in their past 16 away from home.
"We're playing a little sluggishly right now," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We need to find some energy."
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," d'Arnaud said of Colon. "Other than that, he got the outs."
Colabello made it 7-0 with a leadoff drive to right in the fifth.
Duda's 10th home run snapped New York's scoreless streak at 21 innings.
SANCHEZ STILL SHELVED
Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez (strained back muscle) will miss his third straight start Sunday, with RHP Scott Copeland continuing to take Sanchez's place. Sanchez, who last started June 5 and has yet to resume throwing, is likely to need a minor league rehab stint before rejoining the rotation.
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 Linday 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 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.
