Major League Baseball

Halladay, Blue Jays roll past Orioles

Published May. 2, 2009 7:29 a.m. ET

foxsports

After catching Roy Halladay for the past five years, Gregg Zaun got a different view of the Toronto ace on Friday night and quickly found he didn't much like it.

Halladay won his ninth straight decision against the Baltimore Orioles and Kevin Millar drove in three runs against his former team, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to an 8-4 win.

"It's completely different with a bat in your hand, that's for sure," Zaun said of facing Halladay, his teammate from 2004 until the end of last season. "Not comfortable at all. He's just been lights out all year, typical him."

Adam Lind homered and Rod Barajas had three hits with two RBIs, giving Toronto a win in its first game against an AL East opponent.

Halladay (5-1) improved to 9-0 with an 2.71 ERA in his past 11 starts against Baltimore. He has not lost to the Orioles since May 4, 2005, and is 19-4 in 29 career games against Baltimore.

"He's got a history of pitching very well against the Orioles," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said.

Halladay credited Toronto's offense for their help in extending his almost four-year streak against the Orioles.

"I've been fortunate to get runs," Halladay said. "They have a good offensive team, probably some of the best young hitters in our division and I've just been fortunate to get support."

Halladay gave up four runs and 10 hits in eight innings, raising his major league-leading total to 44. He walked one and struck out six.

Halladay, who joined Kansas City's Zack Greinke as baseball's only five-game winners, has worked at least seven innings in all six of his starts.

"I think everybody would like to have about 10 Docs around," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "That's impossible but we do have one, so we've got to enjoy him."

Toronto's Aaron Hill had three hits and leads the major leagues in hits (41) and multihit games (13).

Baltimore lost for the 12th time in 15 games and dropped to 0-10 when scoring four runs or fewer.

"We're not getting the big hit when really need it and we're definitely not making the big pitch when we need to," Zaun said. "Balls in the heart of the plate in key counts to the wrong hitters and they're making us pay."

Orioles left-hander Mark Hendrickson (1-4) lost his fourth straight start, allowing four runs on nine hits in five-plus innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Baltimore jumped on Halladay in the first when Adam Jones doubled and Nick Markakis followed with a homer to right, his third. The blast extended Markakis' hitting streak to 17 games, matching a career high.

Toronto answered by scoring four times in the bottom half. Scott Rolen's infield single scored a run, Millar, who played for the Orioles from 2006-08, hit a two-run double and Barajas followed with an RBI single.

Trembley said Hendrickson's control deserted him in the fourth.

"The first three innings he had finish on all (his pitches) and he was locating," Trembley said. "In the one inning that he ran into trouble he got some pitches in spots he'd like to have back."

Lind hit his fifth homer in the seventh, a one-out drive to center off reliever Dennis Sarfate. Rolen followed with a walk, stole second and scored when Barajas doubled to right-center.

Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora both drove in runs in the top of the eighth, but Lind and Millar replied with RBI singles in the bottom half.

Home plate umpire Tony Randazzo warned both dugouts after Sarfate hit Jose Bautista in the seventh but did not eject Baltimore right-hander Chris Ray after he hit Alex Rios in the eighth. Hendrickson hit Rolen in the fifth.

Notes

Trembley said RHP Koji Uehara, who was struck in the chest by a line drive Wednesday, worked out Thursday and is expected to make his next start, Tuesday at Tampa Bay.