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Halladay returns to Toronto to face Jays

Jul 2, 2011 - 2:43 PM (Sports Network) - It'll be tough for Roy Halladay to admit this as being just another start, especially for one of the best pitchers in the history of the Blue Jays.

The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner returns to Toronto to face his former team this afternoon with a five-game winning streak in tow, this time as a Philadelphia Phillie.

Once the ace in Toronto's starting rotation, Halladay, who won a Cy Young Award while pitching for the Blue Jays in 2003, was dealt to the Phillies in December 2009. Since then he's compiled plenty of individual accolades but is still trying for the ultimate goal - a World Series title. Last year brought a perfect game during the regular season and a no-hitter in the playoffs.

What will today bring? Most likely, the fans at Rogers Centre will show their appreciation for Halladay just as they did yesterday. He received plenty of cheers Friday when he delivered the lineup card to home plate prior to Philadelphia's 7-6 comeback win in the opener of this three-game series.

The 17th overall pick of the 1995 MLB draft, Halladay went 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA in 12 years north of the border. That includes 49 complete games and 15 shutouts.

This will be Halladay's second start against the Blue Jays. On June 25 last year, he threw seven shutout innings in a 9-0 win. That game was supposed to take place in Toronto, but the series was moved to Philadelphia because of the G20 Summit.

Halladay is 5-0 over his last eight starts and has pitched at least seven innings in all but three of his 17 assignments this season. The 34-year-old right-hander is coming off a complete game against Oakland on Sunday.

Although Halladay hasn't reached double digits in strikeouts since May 5 against Washington, his incredible control around the plate hasn't given many hitters opportunities. He still hasn't walked more than two batters in any one of his starts this season, a streak that goes all the way back to August 20 last year against the Nationals.

The Blue Jays have given Carlos Villanueva plenty of run support, although that may be hard to come by against Halladay. Villanueva, today's starter, is coming off a solid six-inning performance a week ago at St. Louis, when he limited the Cardinals to five hits and a pair of runs. The Blue Jays have scored at least six runs in all but one of his seven starts since he was inserted in the rotation five weeks ago.

The reliever-turned-starter, will make his first start against the Phillies. He's appeared in 11 previous games against Philadelphia and has pitched to a 1.26 ERA against the Phillies.

Ryan Howard's two-run single in the top of the ninth inning lifted Philadelphia to yesterday's win. Shane Victorino finished with three hits, two RBI and scored two runs for the Phillies, who have won four of the last five games. Ben Francisco added two doubles and drove in two runs and Carlos Ruiz added a run batted in.

Danys Baez (2-3) turned in a scoreless eighth inning for the win and Antonio Bastardo shut the door in the ninth for his fourth save.

Eric Thames posted two hits, including a two-run homer, and Edwin Encarnacion added a two-run double for the Blue Jays, who have dropped four of five.

Jose Bautista hit a go-ahead two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh for Toronto, but Frank Francisco (1-4) coughed up the lead and took the loss. He was charged with the deciding runs over one-third of an inning.

Down to their last at-bat, Placido Polanco worked a leadoff walk, Chase Utley doubled off the glove of Jays left fielder Juan Rivera and Howard's bloop hit to left scored both for a 7-6 game.

"I wasn't looking to do anything crazy, but just to get either a sac fly or put something in the outfield," Howard said.

Philadelphia won two of three matchups with the Jays last season and is 5-1 in the previous six contests in this series.