Holladay Going for 4-0 Start
Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay looks to improve to 4-0 for the first time in his career when he meets the Texas Rangers in the finale of a four-game series on Monday night at Rogers Centre.
Halladay (3-0, 2.58 ERA) has won his first three decisions for the second time, also doing so in 2005.
Oddsmakers have made Toronto -230 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 82% of bets for this game have been placed on Toronto -230 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
The right-hander is off to another fast start and has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last four outings.
Halladay, winner of the 2003 AL Cy Young Award, struck out a season-high 10 over eight innings Tuesday in the Blue Jays’ 10-3 win over Boston. Halladay reached double figures in strikeouts for the sixth time in his career and the first since May 29, 2005, when he had 10 in a win against Minnesota.
Halladay also had to adjust to another catcher since starter Gregg Zaun left in the second inning after being hit by a pitch and was replaced by Jason Phillips.
"Phillips did a great job calling the game today," Halladay told the team’s official Web site. "It’s one of those little things that’s important when you lose (Zaun) like that. … You do the best to make up for whatever losses that you have."
Phillips and Sal Fasano have handled catching duties after Zaun was placed on the disabled list with a broken right thumb Wednesday.
Halladay is 4-4 with a 5.67 ERA in 13 starts against Texas. Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock is batting .391 (9-for-23) with two home runs and two doubles against Halladay.
Halladay may be expecting plenty of support based given how Toronto’s hitters have fared recently. Opposing starters are 1-4 with an 8.06 ERA in the last six games against the Blue Jays (12-12), who have scored seven runs or more four times in that span.
The Blue Jays look for a split of this series when they face struggling Vicente Padilla (0-3, 5.79 ERA). The Rangers have lost all five games Padilla has started and have scored just nine runs for him.
The right-hander gave up six runs – two earned – and five hits in four innings of the Rangers’ 8-7 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
"Things are going to be better," Padilla told the team’s official Web site. "Things will change, and I will have a little more luck. I’m pitching the way I want. I feel fine. I feel strong."
Padilla is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in four road starts. He posted a 3.29 ERA in winning his only two career starts versus Toronto in July.
Aaron Hill went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs to help Toronto to a 7-3 victory on Sunday. He has 17 RBIs this season, tying Vernon Wells for the team lead.
Toronto’s Troy Glaus was activated from the 15-day disabled list and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run Sunday. Glaus hadn’t played since April 12, when he left a game against Detroit after two innings because of a bone spur in his left heel.
The Rangers’ Ian Kinsler hit his ninth homer in the loss, tying the team record for home runs in April. Ivan Rodriguez (2000), Alex Rodriguez (2002) and Carl Everett (2003) also accomplished the feat.
by: Dave Michaels – thespread.com – Email Us
More MLB Baseball coverage from theSpread.com
– MLB news wire
– Current MLB Injuries
– 2007 MLB standings
– 2007 MLB schedule
– 2007 MLB Umpire sheet
– 2007 MLB stats
– MLB scoreboard
– Expert MLB picks
– Accuscore predictions
– Comments and discussion
– Signup for theSpread.com daily newsletter
– MLB home