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Halladay dominates as Blue Jays win second straight

Apr 13, 2008 - 4:03 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Roy Halladay wasn't worried about his history here.

Halladay tossed his first complete game of the season, and Aaron Hill drove in three runs as the Toronto Blue Jays posted a 4-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

One of the best pitchers in the game, Halladay has been uncharacteristically bad in Texas over his career.

The righthander entered this game with a 3-3 mark and a 7.00 ERA in 10 appearance here. Overall, Halladay is 6-5 with a 5.86 ERA in 17 games vs. Texas, including getting pounded for nine runs and a career-high 12 hits in a 11-4 loss here in May 2007.

However, he look like his dominant self in this one. The former Cy Young Award winner, who led baseball with seven complete games last season, lost his shutout in the ninth when Marlon Byrd doubled home a run.

"I don't really worry about my past history here," Halladay said. "There's nothing you can do about it and if you go out thinking about the past you're in trouble, but this has always been a tough place to pitch."

"Tonight was typical Halladay," Jays catcher Gregg Zaun said. "He had good movement and good placement and tonight was predominantly sinkers and cutters. He had a game plan and he went out and executed it very well."

Toronto, which won for just the eighth time in the last 30 meetings here, jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead when David Eckstein led off the game with a single and scored on a double by Hill.

The Blue Jays tacked on three more runs in the fourth. After a error by third baseman Hank Blalock allowed the inning to continue, Joe Inglett hit a two-out RBI single to center. One batter later, Hill added a two-run single to left off Texas starter Luis Mendoza (0-1) for a 4-0 lead.

"We kept giving them opportunities tonight," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We didn't make plays and those guys just opened it up. When you face a guy like Halladay, you can't give him a lead or he'll go out and control the game."

That early run support was more than enough for the Blue Jays' ace, who retired 17 of the last 19 hitters he faced before Josh Hamilton led off the ninth with a single.

"We didn't have to give him (Halladay) much," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He gets stronger as the game goes on and, although he's had some tough times against these guys, he kicks in late and gave us a chance to win."

Hamilton scored on Byrd's double to left, but Halladay finished off what he started.

Mendoza, who was activated from the disabled list prior to the game, allowed four runs - one earned - and eight hits in five innings.

"It was a rough night," Mendoza said. "I missed a lot of first-pitch strikes and struggled with my control all night."