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Halladay shines in return to Toronto

Jul 2, 2011 - 9:43 PM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The storyline looked all too familiar -- Roy Halladay throwing a complete game in a win at Rogers Centre.

Only this time Halladay wasn't wearing 'Jays' across his chest, instead helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat Toronto, 5-3, thanks to Chase Utley's go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning.

After spending his first dozen big league seasons in Toronto, Halladay was dealt to the Phillies in December 2009, and in his first game back the crowd of 44,078 gave the two-time Cy Young Award winner a standing ovation.

When the welcoming ceased, Halladay (11-3) went to work, scattering three runs on eight hits and a walk while fanning eight en route to his second straight complete game and sixth of the season.

The Phillies have won five of their last six, while Toronto has dropped three in a row, including the opener of this three-game interleague set on Friday.

Run-scoring singles by John McDonald and Eric Thames gave the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead in the fifth, putting Halladay in line for the loss before a pitching change in the seventh proved costly for the hosts.

Carlos Villanueva was throwing well into the seventh, but with Carlos Ruiz on third base and two outs, Blue Jays manager John Farrell opted to go lefty- lefty and brought in Luis Perez (1-1) from the bullpen to face Utley.

On a 2-2 count, Utley took a hanging breaking ball and sent it over the 375- foot sign in right-center for his fourth home run of the season.

The Phillies got an insurance run off Jon Rauch in the ninth, which was extended when Ryan Howard took a pair of close pitches and earned a walk to put runners on first and second with two outs.

Shane Victorino followed with a single to left, and Utley slid in safely at the plate. Rauch, still irked from getting pinched by Alfonso Marquez, voiced his displeasure with the home plate umpire after the run scored and was promptly ejected.

The 6-foot-11 Rauch had to be restrained by Farrell, even getting his jersey ripped off by his manager as he continued to escalate the issue. Farrell joined the reliever in the clubhouse after arguing with Marquez during the pitching change.

"He's a big man, it took three of us [to restrain him]," said Farrell of Rauch. "I thought Jon made quality pitches that were called strikes throughout the course of the ballgame for both sides."

Following the antics, Halladay finished off his 64th career complete game by getting Corey Patterson to bounce into a game-ending double play on his 110th pitch.

Even though he had just beaten their team, the fans cheered Halladay as he walked off the field, and Halladay tipped his cap in acknowledgment.

"They've been great to me here, the organization and the fans. To come back and have them recognize you...it was great," Halladay said stoically. "It was a cool experience, something I will never forget. I definitely appreciate it."

Howard put the Phillies on top with an RBI single in the first inning, but Jose Bautista countered in the fourth with his 26th home run of the season, a towering shot that caromed off the restaurant window in center field.

Jimmy Rollins' RBI double in the fifth put the Phillies back in front, though Villanueva stranded the bases loaded by striking out Howard.

Villanueva was charged with three runs on five hits and four walks in 6 2/3 frames.

Game Notes

The Phillies have won each of Halladay's last nine starts...Halladay has pitched six or more innings in 62 consecutive starts on the road. He faced the Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park last year and threw seven shutout innings...The Phillies stranded 10 runners...Philadelphia goes for the series sweep on Sunday with Cliff Lee facing fellow lefty Jo-Jo Reyes.