Halladay wins 6th game as Jays pound Angels

[May 07, 2009]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Roy Halladay became baseball's second six-game winner and the Toronto 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 on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Aaron Hill, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay each homered to back the veteran.

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.

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.

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 hitting .295.

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 their 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.

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

After Overbays 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.

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.

[Associated Press]

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