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TORONTO — Even when he's not in vintage form, Roy Halladay doesn't make a habit of coughing up leads. Especially when his team is in danger of being completely eliminated from the post-season picture.
The Toronto Blue Jays spotted their ace an early five-run advantage and he wiggled through enough innings to give his team a 6-3 win over the Boston Red Sox.
The victory kept Toronto (83-72) mathematically alive in the post-season chase, as the Jays sit 7 1/2 games back of the wild-card leading Red Sox (90-64) with seven games left on their schedule.
However, one more Boston win combined with a Jays loss and Toronto is officially out of the playoff race.
Toronto Blue Jays Alex Rios is forced at by Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia during the seventh inning in Toronto on Saturday. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
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- Boston Red Sox
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Jose Bautista
- Jason Bay
- A.J. Burnett
- Jesse Carlson
- Alex Cora
- Roy Halladay
- Brandon League
- Jon Lester
- David Ortiz
- Lyle Overbay
- Dustin Pedroia
- Manny Ramirez
- Alex Rios
- Scott Rolen
- B.J. Ryan
- Marco Scutaro
- Vernon Wells
Halladay, notorious for pitching late into games, laboured through six innings on Saturday afternoon, giving up three runs, six hits and striking out three batters.
He also seemed to have a handful close pitches called for balls by home plate umpire Jim Reynolds.
"I don't think I was around the zone as much as I normally am," Halladay said. "I kind of compounded the problem myself. But they're a good team, they're going to make you work either way and if you're not on top (of your game) you can be in for some long innings."
Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston knew his top starter would be put to the test by the patient Red Sox hitters.
"He had to go real hard today with Boston," Gaston said of Halladay. "They battle him pretty good every time he's out there and make him get deep in his pitch count, which they managed to do (today) so we had to go to the bullpen."
Toronto received quality work from its relievers, as Jesse Carlson, Brandon League and closer B.J. Ryan combined to shut down the Red Sox over the final three innings, preserving the win for Halladay (19-11).
The save was Ryan's 32nd of the season.
"We scored a lot of runs and the bullpen did a great job coming in, especially picking up three innings, so it's a good team win," Halladay said.
Gaston echoed that sentiment.
"The bullpen came through for us today and did a good job," he said.
Halladay was lifted after throwing 106 pitches. Gaston had a brief chat with his pitcher in the dugout before opting to call the bullpen. The Jays skipper said he always makes the final call on pitching moves, but values the input of his workhorse.
"It's just one of those things where, out of respect, you talk to him," Gaston said.
The Jays got to Boston lefty Jon Lester (15-6) for one run in the first and four more in the second to build a 5-0 lead, exciting a Rogers Centre crowd of 40,554 on Saturday afternoon.
Lester, who settled in to pitch seven serviceable innings, knew he sealed his team's fate by handing Halladay a lead.
"You can't spot a pitcher like Halladay five runs in the second inning and hope to have a chance to win," he said.
Scott Rolen added an eighth-inning home run off reliever Justin Masterson to round out the scoring.
Trail, B.C. native Jason Bay provided the bulk of Boston's offence, knocking a two-run homer in the third to make it a two-run game after David Ortiz had singled home Dustin Pedroia.
Bay, who turned 30 on Saturday, has hit nine home runs since joining the Red Sox from Pittsburgh in a late-July trade involving slugger Manny Ramirez.
Toronto opened the scoring when Alex Rios singled home Marco Scutaro, who led off the game with a hit and advanced to second on a fielder's choice.
The Blue Jays batted around in the second to open up a five-run lead. With the bases loaded and one out, Scutaro smacked a double down the left-field line to cash two runs. Jose Bautista singled home another run before Rios, with Scutaro standing at third, grounded softly to Alex Cora.
The shortstop made a bad decision, trying to gun down Scutaro at home instead of going to second or first for a force out. Cora's throw hit Scutaro as he was sliding and the ball dribbled away allowing Scutaro to score and the runners to advance an extra base to second and third. After Vernon Wells was intentionally walked, Lyle Overbay hit into an inning-ending double play.
Despite trailing Boston in the standings, Toronto has played the defending World Series champions tough, holding a 9-8 record against the Red Sox this year.
"They've got a good ball club over there, but we certainly can play with them when we pitch well, as we did today, and play defence and get some key hits," Gaston said. "But they're a team you're really going to have to battle hard to beat."
Notes: With the win, Halladay and fellow starter A.J. Burnett have combined for 37 wins this season. That ties the mark for most wins by any Blue Jays starting duo set by Jack Morris and Juan Guzman in 1992 ... Halladay reached the 200-strikeout plateau for the second time in his career. He is now three short of his career single-season high of 204.
