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Halladay goes 10 innings as Jays down Tigers

Apr 14, 2007 - 6:56 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Roy Halladay and Jeremy Bonderman were both dominant, but in the end all they could do was watch.Alex Rios hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as theToronto Blue Jays outlasted the Detroit Tigers, 2-1, in aclassic pitchers' duel.Halladay (2-0), allowed just one run and six hits over 10innings with two strikeouts and did not walk a batter to improveto 11-2 against the Tigers, including 6-1 at home.Bonderman was his mirror image. The righthander allowed one runand six hits with four strikeouts and did not walk a batter innine innings."It's obviously important the way (Bonderman) was pitching tokeep it a close game," Halladay said. "If you get caught upsometimes in what (the opponents) are doing it kind of takesaway from your plan. It was important for me to continue doingwhat I was doing regardless of the score. Fortunately we got arun late to get a win out of it.""One guy showed why he won the Cy Young award (Halladay) and theother guy showed why he probably will win one someday," Detroitmanager Jim Leyland said.Aaron Hill started the winning rally with an infield hit offFernando Rodney (1-2) and Jason Smith, who was just trying tosacrifice, reached on an infield single.John McDonald then executed a perfectly placed bunt down thethird base line and reached base when Brandon Inge and Rodneywere unable to field it. With the bases loaded and no out, Rioslifted a fly ball to center to plate the winning run."I was looking for a fly ball or something," Rios said. "Iwasn't trying to put too much pressure on myself."Halladay, who threw an unheard of 10 innings for the second timein his career, allowed just two runners into scoring positionafter the second and retired 16 of the last 17 batters he faced.The former Cy Young winner was extremely efficient throwing 70of 107 pitches for strikes.Meanwhile, Bonderman allowed just one extra base hit after thefirst and retired nine a row before leaving in the ninth. Therighthander wanted to pitch the 10th, but Leyland had the finalsay."(He) wanted to get back out there in the 10th, but I wouldn'tlet him. He had done his job for the night in my opinion,"Leyland said. "If something freaky like that had happened to himafter that effort I never would have forgiven myself."Bonderman, while disappointed understood the logic."I'm OK with (not starting the 10th inning). (Leyland) has theright reasons behind it. It's a long season.Magglio Ordonez took advantage of one of Halladay's fewmistakes, as he pounded the righthander's offering into the leftfield seats in the first for a 1-0 lead.Alex Rios answered in the second with his first homer of theyear on a first-pitch fast ball from Bonderman. Each allowedjust four hits after the second inning, as scoring chances werefew and far between."It was a great game. (Halladay) outpitched me, one inningmore," Bonderman said. "He deserves all the credit.""It was just a tremendous game on both sides," Blue Jays managerJohn Gibbons said. "Halladay was fabulous and so was Bonderman.We hung tough and they hung tough, but sometimes when you havethe last at-bat and that's what happens."