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Halladay, Padilla hope to save taxed bullpens

Apr 17, 2008 - 2:10 PM Texas (6-9) at Toronto (8-7) 7:07 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) - After a 14-inning marathon in the series opener, the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers may have no choice but to ride their starting pitching as long as possible.

The Blue Jays hope to end their four-game home losing streak on Thursday when they attempt to split their two-game series with the Rangers.

Toronto had won six straight over Texas but needed a team record-tying nine pitchers to get through Wednesday's extra-inning extravaganza. A.J. Burnett - still scheduled to be Friday's starter against Detroit - unleashed a wild pitch that scored the first of two runs in the 14th, leading to a 7-5 loss.

In an effort to avoid their first five-game home losing streak since April 20-24, 2005, the Blue Jays will send ace Roy Halladay (2-1, 3.00 ERA) to the mound. The righthander is 10-0 in his last 12 starts at the Rogers Centre and hasn't experienced a defeat here since May 10, 2007.

The four-time All-Star was in midseason form in his last start - a 4-1 victory at Texas on Saturday - a six-hitter in which he posted his 32nd career complete game, striking out six.

The Rangers, who used seven pitchers overall in the series opener, will counter with Vicente Padilla (1-1, 3.79), who is 3-2 with a 3.74 ERA in five career starts against the Blue Jays.

Padilla will be hoping to rebound from his first loss of the season in which he surrendered five runs - four earned - and seven hits over six frames in Friday's 8-5 home loss vs. Toronto.