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Halladay, Hill help Blue Jays to sixth straight home win

Aug 4, 2007 - 3:59 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Blue Jays always enjoy a little home cooking.

Roy Halladay survived a rough start to throw six-plus effective innings and Aaron Hill hit a tie-breaking RBI single in the sixth as the Blue Jays posted a 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday.

Gregg Zaun had two hits and drove in a pair of runs in the three-run sixth for Toronto, which has won six straight at Rogers Centre to improve their home mark to a major league-best 25-11 since May 11.

"It's just one of those things," Hill said. "If that's the case, we've got to get on a run and I guess win every game at home."

With the game tied at 3-3, Hill drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left-center field off Jamey Wright (3-4), plating Vernon Wells.

Wells led off the frame with a single and Frank Thomas hit a comebacker to Wright, who committed a throwing error that put runners on the corners.

"I turned around to throw it to (shortstop Michael Young), and he was 15 yards from the base," Wright said. "I double-clutched it. It was a tough throw.

"I haven't done that in a long time, it was just miscommunication. It was the two hits after that which really hurt us, gave them a three-run lead, and that's all it took."

Hill helped the Blue Jays capitalized on the error with his single and Zaun followed with a two-run double to left, capping the scoring for Toronto.

Halladay (12-5) struggled early, allowing three runs in the first two innings before throwing four scoreless frames. He allowed four runs and seven hits with nine strikeouts to remain unbeaten in his last seven starts.

"I felt good the whole time," said Halladay, who threw a season-high 126 pitches in a complete game 2-0 loss to Chicago on Saturday. "Just go out there and make quality pitches, and a couple of things here or there didn't go our way. But the offense did a great job there.

"It's nice to win games when you don't get the breaks."

The former American League Cy Young Award winner normally has pinpoint control but started this one by hitting Frank Catalanotto with a pitch. Three batters later, Marlon Byrd plated Catalanotto with a triple to right-center, staking the Rangers to a 1-0 lead.

"Whenever you're facing Roy, it's going to be a long night," said Catalanotto, a former Blue Jay. "We got to him a little bit there. It would have been nice to score some more runs, but we couldn't do that. He pitched pretty well."

The Blue Jays responded, giving Halladay a 3-1 lead as Wells hit an RBI single to left and Thomas followed with a two-run double to right-center off Kevin Millwood, who labored through a 40-pitch first inning.

Halladay faltered again as the Rangers tied the game at 3-3 on Ian Kinsler's broken-bat, two-run single in the second.

The 30-year-old Halladay then settled down, working in his usual fast tempo. He retired 11 of 12 hitters from the second inning to the sixth.

The Toronto ace left after issuing a leadoff walk to Ramon Vazquez and allowing a single by Catalanotto. Casey Janssen came on and yielded an RBI single by Kinsler to cut the deficit to 6-4 before getting an inning-ending double play.

Janssen threw a scoreless eighth and Jeremy Accardo worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save in 24 chances.

Wells had three hits and scored twice for the Blue Jays, who have outscored their opponents, 41-9, during their six-game home winning streak.

Meanwhile, Millwood struggled for the second straight start, allowing three runs and eight hits in four innings. He is winless in his last four road starts.

Kinsler had two hits and drove in three for the Rangers, who have lost five of seven.