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Halladay wins sixth game as Jays pound Angels

May 7, 2009 - 6:14 AM ANAHEIM, Calif.(AP) -- Roy Halladay has always had a vision for the Toronto Blue Jays success. The team's hot start is finally bringing it into focus.

Halladay became baseball's second six-game winner and the Blue Jays routed the Los Angeles Angels 13-1 on Wednesday night.

Halladay (6-1) joined Kansas City's Zack Greinke atop the victory list, dominating the Angels over eight innings. The right-hander allowed one run and six hits.

Pitching, though, isn't all these Blue Jays have to offer. Toronto is hitting a major league-best .297 as a team and the offense's 6.3 runs per game has helped the hitters to finally grab their share of the attention.

"We've always felt like we've had the talent," Halladay said after the Blue Jays became the first American League team to reach 20 victories and increased their lead in the AL East to two games over Boston. "Over the course of the years, individual guys (on offense) have put up good numbers. We haven't been able to get everybody going at the same time."

It was all in sync against the Angels. Aaron Hill, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay each homered to back Halladay.

Hill, who increased his major league-leading hit total to 49, delivered a two-run homer two batters into the game. It was his seventh of the season.

"It was nice to see the guys give (Halladay) a lot of runs," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "He wasn't pitching for his life out there. We just kept swinging the bats and came up with some big hits. I can't think of a guy who didn't have a hit."

Every Blue Jays starter had at least one base hit, with five players collecting at least two. Hill led the way with three.

Angels pitcher Anthony Ortega (0-2), in his third career start and appearance, was no match for a Blue Jays offense that entered the game also leading the major leagues in runs, hits, extra-base hits, and total bases.

Ortega gave up two more runs in the second inning on RBI singles from Marco Scutaro and Hill before he was removed. Angels reliever Rafael Rodriguez then gave up a three-run home run to Wells.

Ortega gave up six earned runs and six hits in 1 1-3 innings.

The Angels, who won the final three games of a just-completed three-city road trip, once again stumbled at home. Los Angeles, which won 100 games last season, is just 6-7 in its own ballpark.

It was a rare easy night for Halladay in a ballpark that hasn't often seen his finest work. The former Cy Young Award winner entered just 2-3 at Angel Stadium with a 6.35 ERA.

He didn't allow an extra-base hit until Howie Kendrick doubled to lead off the eighth inning. Kendrick scored on a two-out single from pinch-hitter Jeff Mathis.

Halladay has pitched at least seven innings in all seven of his starts. His two walks were the first time he has allowed more than one free pass.

"The Angels are a good team and I've had some ugly starts here, especially early in my career," Halladay said. "I think I gave up 11 runs in one inning. It's a tough team and obviously they are missing some key parts and that will make a difference. It's never an easy team to pitch against."

Wells' home run was his fifth, while Overbay hit his fourth.

After Overbay's three-run home run capped a five-run eighth inning for the Blue Jays, both benches were warned one batter later when Angels reliever Justin Speier hit Rod Barajas with a pitch. Angels manager Mike Scioscia was ejected for arguing the warning with home-plate umpire Bill Hohn. It was Scioscia's third ejection.

Speier then barked at Hohn when he left the mound following the top of the ninth inning and had to be restrained by pitching coach Mike Butcher.

"He was having trouble making pitches," Scioscia said of Speier. "He was a little taken aback by a warning on a forkball. When your intent is questioned, that's a serious matter."'

Notes: Angels RF Vladimir Guerrero, on the disabled list since April 16 with a torn right pectoral muscle, was cleared to take swings off a tee and went through light defensive drills. ... The Angels used light-hitting utility man Maicer Izturis in the DH spot for the fifth time, second most on the team behind Guerrero.