• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Byrd, Indians best Halladay

Aug 9, 2008 - 9:36 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Paul Byrd pulled a page out of Roy Halladay's book by going the distance Saturday.

Byrd tossed a six-hitter for his first complete game of the season and Ryan Garko drove in two runs as the Cleveland Indians posted a 4-2 victory over Halladay and the Toronto Blue Jays.

The American League's hottest pitcher since the All-Star break, Byrd (7-10) won his fourth straight start, striking out six without a walk. During the winning streak, he has an ERA of 1.24, allowing four earned runs in 29 innings.

Saturday's game ended when Lyle Overbay was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double.

Byrd outdueled Halladay, who has thrown a major league-high 33 complete games since 2003, including seven this season.

"I had a good curveball going, used it for lefthanders a lot," Byrd said. "I got a number of outs on it. Getting first-pitch strikes on my curveball was a key. I had a good changeup, too."

"(Byrd) kept us off-balance," said Toronto's Adam Lind, who was 0-for-4 against the veteran righthander.

Often a victim of poor run support this year, Halladay (13-9) yielded four runs - but only one earned - and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings while throwing 130 pitches. He gave up a season-high 11 hits in a 4-1 complete-game victory over Texas on April 17.

"I threw a lot of pitches through six-plus innings," Halladay said. "It was a grind."

The Blue Jays grabbed an early 2-0 lead on Marco Scutaro's sacrifice fly in the first inning and Brad Wilkerson's RBI single in the second. The Indians got back one run on Garko's run-scoring double in the fourth.

"(Byrd) settled down and pitched very well against us," Halladay said.

Toronto took a 2-1 lead into the sixth, when shortstop John McDonald's throwing error led to three unearned runs. Garko and Andy Marte delivered RBI singles in the inning and Halladay walked David Dellucci, who had three hits, with the bases loaded to force in the Indians' fourth run.

"It's just a battle to try to not get out (against Halladay)," Garko said. "He's got such a good sinker, such a good cutter. He can go there anytime."