Phils’ Halladay hit hard early by Jays
March 31, 2010
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP)—Roy Halladay(notes) was hit hard early then bounced back withfour straight strikeouts against his former team, but the Philadelphia Philliesfell 5-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.
Halladay, who spent his first 12 big league seasons with the Blue Jaysbefore joining the Phillies in December, allowed four runs and five hits in thefirst inning. He then struck four straight and retired the final seven battershe faced.
Halladay’s final spring start was cut short at three innings to keep his armfresh for the Phillies when they open the season in Washington on Monday.
“I’m extremely anxious,” the 32-year-old Halladay said of his upcomingPhillies debut. “I think the hard part of later on in spring is that you startanticipating what’s to come and you get a little stale. I’m looking forward to(starting the season). I feel prepared.”
On the same field where former Phillies pitcher Brett Myers(notes) exchangedhandshakes and laughs with his old coaches and teammates six days earlier,Halladay was all business at Bright House Field with the Blue Jays in town.Instead of chatting with his old Toronto teammates in between at-bats orinnings, he tried to get them out.
“I respect everyone over there,” Halladay said. “(But) you realize thatthere’s a time for that in the offseason. I wanted to keep my focus on that andpitch and focus on that as much as I could.”
The Blue Jays greeted their former, longtime ace with a flurry of hits.After Jose Bautista(notes) led off with a double to center, All-Star second basemanAaron Hill(notes) drilled the first pitch he saw from Halladay into the left fieldbleachers for a two-run home run.
Adam Lind(notes) and Edwin Encarnacion(notes) followed with doubles later in the inningand Alex Gonzalez added an RBI single as the Blue Jays jumped to a 4-0 leadagainst Halladay.
“I just wasn’t aggressive,” Halladay said. “I just guided the pitches anddidn’t make an adjustment until later on.”
Halladay struck out Jose Molina(notes) to end the first inning and then struck outeach of the three hitters who came to the plate in the second. He finished hiseffort with a 1-2-3 third inning.
Halladay allowed four runs on five hits while striking out five and walkingnone.
“I don’t think he leaned on it,” Philadelphia pitching coach Rich Dubeesaid of Halladay’s rough start against his former team. “There is a littlesomething there: ex-teammates, the end of spring training, you’re less apt tomaybe stand somebody up or move somebody.
“I think he was feeling his way through it and then all of a sudden he saidenough is enough and the last two innings he turned it up a little bit,” Dubeesaid.
Both of the Phillies’ runs came on solo drives off Toronto starter BrettCecil(notes). Placido Polanco(notes) hit a one-out homer in the third inning and Ben Francisco(notes)hit his team-high fourth of the spring to lead off the fifth.
NOTES: Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz(notes) was out of the lineup after gettinghit in the left arm with a pitch in a minor league game Tuesday. Manuel expectsRuiz to play in today’s spring finale. … Philadelphia reliever Ryan Madson(notes)took over for Halladay to begin the fourth inning and struck out two in ascoreless frame. Madson will serve as the Phillies closer with Brad Lidge(notes)sidelined until mid-to-late April. … Toronto manager Cito Gaston named JasonFrasor(notes) the Blue Jays closer prior to the game.
