LOS ANGELES -- R.A. Dickey made yet another strong bid to start for the National League in the All-Star game. He wants very much to get the nod -- not just for himself, but for a unique group he refers to as the "Jedi Council of Knuckleballers." Dickey, who resurrected his career several years ago with the specialty pitch, allowed three hits over eight innings to become the majors first 12-game winner and lead the New York Mets to a 9-0 victory over the Dodgers on Friday night. Daniel Murphy homered and drove in five runs, helping send Los Angeles to its season-worst sixth straight loss. "I think every little boy imagines playing in an All-Star game. So in that regard, it would be a real honour, obviously," Dickey said. "But more than that, I think it would give a real legitimacy to what I do as a knuckleball pitcher. I think there are camps of people out there who dont view it as a very legitimate thing. "Im certainly thankful for the people who have come before me and done what Ive done, because its allowed me to have the foundation to build off of to become who I am presently," Dickey added. "I mean, I tried to be Charlie Hough. I tried to be Phil Niekro and Tim Wakefield, and it didnt work. So when I started bringing in who I was uniquely with that pitch, things started to kind of turn the corner for me." The Dodgers only hit over the first 6 1-3 innings was by opposing pitcher Aaron Harang, a two-out single in the third that fell between left fielder Kirk Niewenhuis and centre fielder Andres Torres after some miscommunication. A.J. Ellis singled in the seventh and Tony Gwynn Jr. doubled in the eighth. "He was throwing it harder than Im used to seeing him throw it," Gwynn said. "He threw a lot of strikes with it. And when its in the zone and the balls moving like that, its tough to make contact. It cuts, sinks, it does something different every time he throws it." Dickey offered a much more colorful description of his primary weapon. "The metaphor I would give is that if a traditional knuckleball is a butterfly, mine is more like a butterfly on steroids," he said. "Its more like a mosquito or a hummingbird than a butterfly, because of the velocity. It comes in and breaks late at the plate. It darts more and its in and out of the strike zone. Phil Niekro once told me I had an angry knuckleball." Dickey(12-1), who had consecutive one-hitters against Tampa Bay and Baltimore during interleague play, returned to form five days after giving up five runs in six innings against the Yankees. "I didnt have a terrible knuckleball last time, and I didnt approach this game any differently," he said. "It just came out of my hand nice tonight, and I was able to repeat my mechanics and stay in the strike zone." It was the fifth scoreless outing in a span of seven starts for the 37-year-old right-hander, who struck out 10 and walked one while establishing a career high for wins. He threw no more than 17 pitches in any inning and finished with 116. Dickey has won 10 straight decisions in 13 starts with a 1.51 ERA since April 18. He finished June 5-0 with a 0.93 ERA. In the second season of a two-year, $7.8 million contract, Dickey is the first starting pitcher in Mets history to begin a season 12-1 and the first to post at least 12 victories before the All-Star break since Bobby Jones in 1997. The franchise record for wins before the break is held by Tom Seaver, who was 14-5 in 1969 and 1970 going into the midsummer classic. "One thing Ive always tried to do for my team and for myself is to be a consistent, trustworthy product," Dickey said. "And the more often I can do that, the better." The injury-depleted Dodgers, missing Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Mark Ellis, were shut out for the fifth time in 11 games -- including all three at San Francisco -- and have produced only two runs in their last 48 innings. They are in a 1-10 tailspin that has seen them go from five games ahead in the NL West to a game behind surging San Francisco. Los Angeles led by as many as 7 1/2 games on May 27. Harang (5-5) gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. Three of the hits were by Ruben Tejada, who was plunked by the right-handers 116th and final pitch. Tejada also had an RBI single to cap a four-run seventh against rookie Shawn Tolleson. Dickey retaliated by hitting Dee Gordon on the rear end with two outs in the sixth, eliciting a warning from plate umpire Todd Tichenor to Dickey and both dugouts. Gordon, who is generously listed at 160 pounds in the Dodgers media guide, was the fourth batter Dickey has hit this season. Murphy, who struck out with the bases loaded to end the first, came through in the fifth with a two-run double and added a three-run homer in the seventh -- just his third of the season. The other two came on Wednesday in a 17-1 rout of the Cubs at Wrigley field, ending a home run drought of 352 consecutive at-bats by Murphy. NOTES: The Dodgers have one home run in their last 15 games. Dickey has allowed only two homers in 82 2-3 innings over his last 10 starts, after giving up at least one in each of his first five outings and seven in 30 1-3 innings. ... Davis dropped a foul popup along the first base line for the Mets 60th error, one fewer than the Giants league-worst total. But Dickey shrugged it off and struck out James Loney with his next pitch. ... Johan Santana, who starts for the Mets Saturday night against Nathan Eovaldi, has held the Dodgers to just two runs over 27 2-2 innings in his four starts against them and has won all of them. 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Bodishbaugh, 27, is currently third in the American Association in saves with 17. He also has a 6-4 record and 4.13 ERA. The Walnut Creek, California product is no stranger to playing in Canada, having played the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Victoria Seals and 2011 with the Calgary Vipers of the independent North American Baseball League. Cheap Jerseys . Louis Rams. Leber announced his retirement Friday on Minneapolis radio station KFAN. In a text message to The Associated Press, Leber said "Its been a great run, lots of fun. HOUSTON -- Now that theyve landed James Harden, the Houston Rockets have grander aspirations in mind. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey officially introduced Harden on Monday, calling him a "foundational" player for the teams ultimate goal of returning to title contention. Harden, last seasons Sixth Man of the Year, joined Houston in a stunning trade with Oklahoma City on Saturday night. "James Harden is a player we can build around, and continue to improve the team around his skills," Morey said. "Hes an elite offensive player, a complete player. He can pass, shoot, attack the basket. Even though hes a gold medallist , an Olympian and made the Finals, I still think hes an underrated player. Hes absolutely someone who, when they see him step into the role of a star for the Houston Rockets, people are going to realize just how good he is." The Rockets traded shooting guard Kevin Martin and first-round draft pick Jeremy Lamb to Oklahoma City, along with future draft picks. Coupled with Jeremy Lin, Morey is hoping that Houstons new high-profile backcourt and the salary cap space created by the deal will attract another star to Houston in the near future. The Rockets have overhauled their roster since finishing 34-32 last season and missing the playoffs for the third straight year. Houston added Lin and centre Omer Asik to join Chandler Parsons and Patrick Patterson in the projected starting lineup. "Now our job is to add another significant player or have one of our young guys develop into an All-Star-calibre player," Morey said. "You probably need two to really be a championship contender. Were not there yet, but weve got multiple young players who can take that step forward." Harden was finalizing a long-term contract with Houston on Monday. He says hell be ready to play when the Rockets open the regular season in Detroit on Wednesday. "Im excited to be here," Harden said. "The organization has done a great job, theyve made me feel welcome. I think we have something special here. Were young, but those guys want to work and get better, so we want things days at a time." Not long after news of the trade leaked out, Harden heard from Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who were also his teammates on the Olympic team. The Rockets visit Oklahoma City on Nov. 28. "I actually talked to Kevin (Sunday) night. Hes still in shock," Harden said. "Its a business, it happens that way. We had something special there. It didnt work out. In a business, youve got to move on. Were still going to be brothers." Moorey acknowledged he was "shocked" that Harden was available, and said the deal came together within a few days last week.dddddddddddd The Rockets have been trying to land a first-tier star for years, failing in an aggressive bid to sign Dwight Howard over the summer. The Rockets were close to getting Pau Gasol before last season in a proposed deal that also would have sent All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Lakers. But NBA Commissioner David Stern, acting on behalf of the league-owned New Orleans Hornets, vetoed the deal that would have brought Lamar Odom to the Hornets, along with Luis Scola, Martin, Goran Dragic and a first-round pick. "A GM in 1950 would say to win the title, youve got to have an All-Star player," Morey said. "We feel like we have one now, and frankly, we want more than one. But youve got to get one first, and were going to move forward from there." Harden says hell wear the same No. 13 in Houston that he wore in Oklahoma City. "Its a new journey for me," Harden said. "Its a new growth for me, to do something special, being one of the focal points of this offence. Its a great opportunity." Morey expects Harden to start Houstons regular-season opener, a decision ultimately up to coach Kevin McHale. Harden said hes ready to play, even though he was practicing with his new team for the first time on Monday afternoon. "I mesh with anyone," Harden said. "It shouldnt take that much time, especially with our offence and our strategies arent too difficult. Im a very fast learner, so it shouldnt take too long." Later Monday, the Rockets waived forwards Jon Brockman and JaJuan Johnson, guards Gary Forbes and Shaun Livingston and guard/forward Lazar Hayward, who was acquired along with Harden from Oklahoma City. McHale and Morey said before training camp began that the objective this season was making the playoffs. That remains the same, although with Harden on board, it seems much more reachable. "Were going to be much better this year, and weve upped our playoff odds," Morey said. "Our goal isnt to stop there. Were looking to be a championship contender, and thats going to require focusing on the future, at least a little bit longer." Harden started only seven games in three seasons in Oklahoma City, as he developed into an indispensable reserve. Morey, like McHale, expects Harden to make a seamless transition into a featured role with the Rockets. "Hes had plenty of minutes and weve studied him, believe me," Morey said. "I dont see it as an issue at all." ' ' '