Blue Jays strike early as Halladay stymies Orioles <h3>TORONTO 8, BALTIMORE 3</h3>TORONTO (Ticker) -- All Roy Halladay needed was a little earlysupport against the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Halladay hurled seven strong innings and Frank Thomas hit atwo-run homer as the Toronto Blue Jays used a six-run firstinning en route to an 8-3 victory over the Orioles on Saturdayafternoon. Alex Rios and Gregg Zaun each drove in two runs for the BlueJays (74-74), who won for just the second time in eight games toget back to the .500 mark on the season. The 2003 Cy Young Award winner, Halladay (15-7) now has at least15 wins for a fourth time in his career. But the righthanderhas not pitched well recently, winning for the first time in sixstarts. He allowed one run and five hits while striking out and walkingtwo on Saturday. Jason Frasor yielded consecutive hits to start the eighth andwas relieved by Scott Downs, who got two outs after allowing histwo inherited runners to score. Casey Janssen retired MiguelTejada to end the threat. He then pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation. Halladay got all the support he would need in the opening frameas Toronto knocked out Baltimore starter Kurt Birkins (1-2)before he could record an out. Birkins allowed six runs and sixhits without a walk or strikeout before departing. The Blue Jays wasted no time, smacking a franchise-best sevenstraight hits to start the game - one shy of the major leaguerecord. Toronto's previous high was five in a row against theTexas Rangers on May 8, 1987. Vernon Wells and Reed Johnson started the onslaught withback-to-back singles, and Rios knocked them in with a two-rundouble. Thomas followed with his 22nd homer of the campaign togive the Blue Jays a four-run advantage. After Aaron Hill and Matt Stairs then stroked back-to-back hits,Birkins was lifted by Orioles manager Dave Trembley. Zauncapped the scoring in the frame with a two-run single off RobBell to make it 6-0. The Blue Jays added two more runs in the seventh. Hill strokeda one-out double and, after Stairs popped out, Zaun wasintentionally walked to put runners on first and second. Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis then misplayed Hector Luna'sfly ball to score both runners and make it 8-0. Markakis, Aubrey Huff and Freddie Bynum each knocked in a runfor Baltimore, which has lost seven of its last 10.
AL: BALTIMORE at TORONTO <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BALTIMORE (3) AT TORONTO (8) - HOW THEY SCORED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO 1ST: V Wells reached on infield single to third. R Johnson singled to center, V Wells to second. A Rios doubled to deep center, V Wells and R Johnson scored. F Thomas homered to left, A Rios scored. A Hill singled to right. M Stairs doubled to right, A Hill to third. R Bell relieved K Birkins. G Zaun singled to left, A Hill and M Stairs scored, G Zaun out stretching at second. H Luna flied out to center. J McDonald flied out to left. (6 Runs, 7 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 4TH: N Markakis walked. M Tejada grounded out to second, N Markakis to second. A Huff doubled to deep right center, N Markakis scored. K Millar popped out to shortstop. S Moore grounded out to second. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 7TH: R Liz relieved V Zambrano. F Thomas lined out to third. A Hill doubled to deep center. M Stairs popped out to shortstop. G Zaun intentionally walked. H Luna safe at second on error by right fielder N Markakis, A Hill and G Zaun scored. J McDonald flied out to center. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 8. BALTIMORE 8TH: L Overbay at first base. J Frasor relieved R Halladay. J House doubled to deep center. F Bynum doubled to right, J House scored. B Roberts walked. S Downs relieved J Frasor. T Redman grounded out to pitcher, F Bynum to third, B Roberts to second. N Markakis grounded out to shortstop, F Bynum scored, B Roberts to third. C Janssen relieved S Downs. M Tejada grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 3, TORONTO 8.</div>
AL: BALTIMORE at TORONTO <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BALTIMORE (3) AT TORONTO (8) - EVENT LOG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Baltimore Starting Lineups -- B Roberts 2B, T Redman CF, N Markakis RF, M Tejada SS, A Huff 1B, K Millar DH, S Moore 3B, J House C, F Bynum LF, K Birkins LHP. Toronto Starting Lineups -- V Wells CF, R Johnson LF, A Rios RF, F Thomas DH, A Hill 2B, M Stairs 1B, G Zaun C, H Luna 3B, J McDonald SS, R Halladay RHP. Umpires -- Ed Montague (HP), Jerry Layne (1B), Bill Miller (2B), Marvin Hudson (3B). Gametime Weather: INDOORS. BALTIMORE 1ST: B Roberts walked. T Redman flied out to left. N Markakis grounded into double play, shortstop to first, B Roberts out at second.(0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 0. TORONTO 1ST: V Wells reached on infield single to third. R Johnson singled to center, V Wells to second. A Rios doubled to deep center, V Wells and R Johnson scored. F Thomas homered to left, A Rios scored. A Hill singled to right. M Stairs doubled to right, A Hill to third. R Bell relieved K Birkins. G Zaun singled to left, A Hill and M Stairs scored, G Zaun out stretching at second. H Luna flied out to center. J McDonald flied out to left. (6 Runs, 7 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 2ND: M Tejada struck out swinging. A Huff singled to center. K Millar grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, A Huff out at second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 2ND: V Wells popped out to third. R Johnson flied out to left. A Rios doubled to left. F Thomas lined out to left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 3RD: S Moore singled to center. J House singled to right, S Moore to third. F Bynum grounded into fielder's choice to first, S Moore out at home, J House to second. B Roberts grounded out to second, J House to third, F Bynum to second. T Redman grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 3RD: V Zambrano relieved R Bell. A Hill lined out to left. M Stairs grounded out to second. G Zaun singled to center. H Luna grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, G Zaun out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 0, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 4TH: N Markakis walked. M Tejada grounded out to second, N Markakis to second. A Huff doubled to deep right center, N Markakis scored. K Millar popped out to shortstop. S Moore grounded out to second. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 4TH: J McDonald grounded out to pitcher. V Wells walked. R Johnson flied out to left. A Rios hit by pitch, V Wells to second. F Thomas flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 5TH: J House flied out to right. F Bynum grounded out to third. B Roberts flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 5TH: A Hill grounded out to shortstop. M Stairs struck out looking. G Zaun grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 6TH: T Redman grounded out to first. N Markakis grounded out to catcher. M Tejada struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 6TH: H Luna struck out looking. J McDonald safe at first on throwing error by shortstop M Tejada. V Wells flied out to center. R Johnson singled to right center, J McDonald to third. A Rios grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. BALTIMORE 7TH: A Huff singled to deep right. K Millar grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, A Huff out at second. S Moore grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 6. TORONTO 7TH: R Liz relieved V Zambrano. F Thomas lined out to third. A Hill doubled to deep center. M Stairs popped out to shortstop. G Zaun intentionally walked. H Luna safe at second on error by right fielder N Markakis, A Hill and G Zaun scored. J McDonald flied out to center. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) BALTIMORE 1, TORONTO 8. BALTIMORE 8TH: L Overbay at first base. J Frasor relieved R Halladay. J House doubled to deep center. F Bynum doubled to right, J House scored. B Roberts walked. S Downs relieved J Frasor. T Redman grounded out to pitcher, F Bynum to third, B Roberts to second. N Markakis grounded out to shortstop, F Bynum scored, B Roberts to third. C Janssen relieved S Downs. M Tejada grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 3, TORONTO 8. TORONTO 8TH: V Wells struck out swinging. R Johnson singled to right center. A Rios struck out swinging. F Thomas flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 3, TORONTO 8. BALTIMORE 9TH: A Huff doubled to left. K Millar flied out to left. S Moore struck out swinging. J House grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BALTIMORE 3, TORONTO 8.</div>
Blue Jays strike early as Halladay stymies Orioles <h3>TORONTO 8, BALTIMORE 3</h3>TORONTO (Ticker) -- All Roy Halladay needed was a little earlysupport against the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Halladay hurled seven strong innings and Frank Thomas hit atwo-run homer as the Toronto Blue Jays used a six-run firstinning en route to an 8-3 victory over the Orioles on Saturdayafternoon. Alex Rios and Gregg Zaun each drove in two runs for the BlueJays (74-74), who won for just the second time in eight games toget back to the .500 mark on the season. The 2003 American League Cy Young Award winner, Halladay (15-7)now has at least 15 wins for the fourth time in his career. Butthe righthander has not pitched well of late, winning for thefirst time in six starts. "You can't really get too frustrated, that's just how the gameis," said Halladay, who improved to 15-4 lifetime against theOrioles. "You've just got to go out and keep pitching and,sooner or later, you'll have a game like this where you get sixin the first." He allowed one run and five hits while striking out two andwalking two on Saturday. "That was a typical Roy Halladay performance," Toronto managerJohn Gibbons said. "He's such a good pitcher, we get spoiledwith him here." "If we spot (Halladay) that many runs, it's going to be tough,"said Orioles bench coach Tom Trebelhorn, who is the actingmanager while Dave Trembley serves a three-game suspension."There's not much else to say about it." Jason Frasor yielded consecutive hits to start the eighth andwas relieved by Scott Downs, who got two outs after allowing histwo inherited runners to score. Casey Janssen retired MiguelTejada to end the threat. He then pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation. Halladay got all the support he needed in the opening frame asToronto knocked out Baltimore starter Kurt Birkins (1-2)before he could record an out. Birkins allowed six runs and sixhits without a walk or strikeout before departing. "When the buzzsaw starts buzzing, it's tough to stop,"Trebelhorn said. "I'm sure (Birkins) understood why he cameout." "I just couldn't hit a spot and, with a lineup like this,they're not going to let those pitches go," said Birkins, whobecame the first Orioles starter to fail to get an out sinceRuss Ortiz on July 21, 2006. "I just struggled throughout thewhole time." The Blue Jays wasted no time, smacking a franchise-best sevenstraight hits to start the game - one shy of the major leaguerecord. Toronto's previous high was five in a row against theTexas Rangers on May 8, 1987. Vernon Wells and Reed Johnson started the onslaught withback-to-back singles, and Rios knocked them in with a two-rundouble. Thomas followed with his 22nd homer of the campaign togive the Blue Jays a four-run advantage. After Aaron Hill and Matt Stairs stroked back-to-back hits,Birkins was lifted by Trebelhorn. Zaun capped the scoring inthe frame with a two-run single off Rob Bell, making it 6-0. "That was a nice way to start the game, that's for sure," Stairssaid. "I've never seen (seven consecutive hits to start agame) before. It's very rare, but with our offense, nothingsurprises me." The Blue Jays added two more runs in the seventh. Hill strokeda one-out double and, after Stairs popped out, Zaun was walkedintentionally to put runners on first and second. Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis then misplayed Hector Luna'sfly ball, allowing both runners to score and make it 8-0. Markakis, Aubrey Huff and Freddie Bynum each knocked in a runfor Baltimore, which has lost seven of its last 10.
