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Marlins-Blue Jays Preview

Jun 12, 2009 - 5:54 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Florida (29-33) at Toronto (34-28), 7:07 p.m. EDT

The last time Roy Halladay won seven consecutive decisions, his streak was halted by the Florida Marlins.

This time, he'll attempt to extend his current run at Florida's expense on Friday night when the Toronto Blue Jays welcome the Marlins to Rogers Centre in the start of a three-game set.

Halladay (10-1, 2.52 ERA) leads the major leagues in wins and is also third in the AL with 88 strikeouts. Over his last nine outings, the right-hander has gone 7-0 with a 2.03 ERA while reaching at least the seventh inning in each contest.

The 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner has received 54 of his 81 runs of support this season over his last nine appearances.

"It's the best run support I've had, that's for sure, and that makes a huge difference," Halladay said. "There were games early on where I didn't necessarily pitch great and we scored enough runs. It makes a huge difference and lets you get into the swing of things."

This is the first time he's put together a winning streak this long since he went 7-0 with a 2.48 ERA over 11 starts from April 22-June 13, 2006. Five days later, that came to an end against the Marlins (29-33) as he allowed four runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 4-1 defeat.

Halladay will attempt to avoid a similar fate after tossing just 97 pitches in a seven-hitter en route to a 4-0 win over Kansas City on Sunday. It was the five-time All-Star's second straight complete game, raising his career total to 43, and 12th shutout.

"Day in and day out, everybody that gets on first base says he's the best," Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay said. "The Yankees, the Red Sox, they're like 'It's not fair.'

"I'm glad I'm on his side, not the other side. He can dominate."

Halladay has won his last five home starts, posting a 1.93 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 42 innings.

Toronto is 4-14 all-time against Florida, including 2-7 at home. The Jays have dropped the last five meetings, but haven't met the Marlins since Halladay's loss nearly three years ago.

The Blue Jays (34-28) had outscored opponents 19-3 in a three-game winning streak before falling 1-0 to Texas on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Florida squandered a two-run, eighth-inning lead to fall 6-5 to St. Louis and end their season-high 11-game homestand with a 6-5 mark.

"The homestand is a success because you have a winning record at home, but games like this, you want to win those games," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Florida now will give the ball to Ricky Nolasco (2-6, 8.17), who has lost his last three starts with a 12.79 ERA.

A 15-game winner last year, the right-hander was sent to Triple-A New Orleans on May 23. Now set to make his first start against Toronto, Nolasco lost despite an impressive return Sunday. He gave up three runs - two earned - and 10 hits in seven innings of a 3-2 defeat to San Francisco.

"I did what I could do to keep us in the game," said Nolasco, who received no runs of support. "Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win, so I'm not satisfied with what I did."

Nolasco is 2-2 with a 5.52 ERA in five interleague starts.