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Halladay, Blue Jays take on Rays in opener

Sep 5, 2008 - 10:24 AM Tampa Bay (85-53) at Toronto (73-66) 7:07 p.m. EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- If the baseball world has learned anything from this past week, it is the Tampa Bay Rays are still vulnerable - despite what the American League East standings say.

Roy Halladay will look to exploit the first-place club further more, as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Rays in the opener on Friday.

After nearly being swept by the desperate New York Yankees, the Rays will have to figure out how to solve a Cy Young candidate if they want to keep their division lead over the Boston Red Sox (82-57) at 3 1/2 games.

Halladay (17-9, 2.69 ERA) has been nothing short of spectacular for the Jays in a season mired with injuries and disappointment. Toronto, which lost starters Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan for extended periods, is on pace to surpass the .500 mark for the fourth straight season, mostly because of its ace's efforts.

This is the third straight season Halladay has won 16 or more games, a feat he has reached five times in his career. He has won four straight starts, recording a 2.48 ERA over the span.

Halladay is 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances versus Tampa Bay. He is 1-3 with a 4.82 ERA against the Rays this season.

Tampa Bay will counter with Andy Sonnanstine (13-6, 4.61), who will look to reach a franchise milestone while turning around recent struggles.

The righthander has the worst ERA among Rays starters, but leads the team in wins and is one shy of tying Rolando Arrojo's club single-season total of 14, which was set in 1998.

Sonnanstine is 2-1 with a 6.10 ERA in five starts against Toronto this season, and 1-0 with a 7.20 ERA in his last three outings overall.

This is a crucial series for the Rays because nine games against the Red Sox and Yankees follow it on the schedule.