Halladay perfect for win number 20 and bats show up to finish Yankees off.

Toronto v New York. Series finale and last home game of the season.Thursday September 25, 2008.

Preview: Lots here in this game, can Halladay win number twenty tonight ? Yankees are trying to match their longest winning streak of the season eight wins. Will Cito bounce back from his poor decision making last night OR worse still has nothing changed since his first exit from Toronto ? To many fans, the biggest knock against Cito, was having a team in 92 and 93 that didn’t need any managing and was made up of intense committed professionals who knew and did their jobs every day. Thus they fitted his style of passive indifference perfectly. The second knock was his inability to handle pitchers. He left them in too long and never changed them until the last minute which was usually too late if they were in trouble. Let them pitch out of trouble was the motto. Of course his predecessor Captain Hook was the opposite extreme and had no problems using three pitchers to get three outs. So far this season Cito has steered the middle path and enabled the great bullpen to do their work but also played the percentages which is about as far as this guy will gamble. Last night however he strayed from that philosophy. Whether or not he was still dewy- eyed over Burnett’s curtain call, but whatever his reason, Carlson was left in probably at least three hitters too many. Why was he pitching the tenth when he had already pitched a great inning ? Cito has at his disposal one of the best bullpens in baseball, there were several options some of who had already been warming up. But no, he left Jesse in far too long and Abreu who was 0-4 and had already struck out three times made him pay for that error. Cito should have noticed that Carlson was in trouble long before he loaded the bases, and even then he left him in. Strange decision, but probably playing the percentages in his mind at least, not the minds of the few who were left. I never understand people who leave a game tied at two in the top of the ninth ???? Can Jays hold Yankees win streak ? Not as a result of Halladay but because this team is underachieving bigtime with the bat up and down the lineup. But especially so with the heart of the order Rios, Wells and Overbay. It is very sad when the team leading RBI guy has less than 80. But we all know they could also score 20 tonight. Cito and the coaching staff still need work. The hitting has not improved, they are still awful with runners in scoring position. They have scored a total of three ! runs in the last three games. Can’t get worse than that, although the optimists would say they are improving each game, zero, one and two in the last three games. That is a joke friends. The oft quoted ten game run streak was a once in a decade achievement and not normal for this poor group of athletes. Yankees can’t wait to sweep them tonight at home for the first time since 2003. Ouch… Interesting stat. Many fans are not happy with BJ Ryan despite 32 saves after coming back from Tommy John surgery but Rivera only has 38 saves…. BJ has had a very good season.

What they said: Manager Girardi on Abreu grand slam. "That's the amazing thing about the game. You can have an awful day and in your last at-bat, you can have the biggest hit of the night. That's why you have to be able to turn the page and he's really good at doing that."

Halladay on potential twenty game win: "It's obviously a great milestone. It would mean a lot, but I think that it's always reflected more so on the team than anything." (he is 100% right on that. Roy could pitch a complete game and has done and still lose with this team.)

Pitching tonight: Halladay (19-11, 2.81 ERA) v Pavano (4-1, 4.99 ERA)
Halladay is trying for his first 20-win season since 2003 when he finished with 22 en route to winning the AL Cy Young Award. Halladay is 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA in five starts against Yankees this season, and has won both of his home outings against them, posting a 1.69 ERA over 16 innings. Halladay is 14-5 with a 2.90 ERA in 29 starts and two relief appearances against Yankees. He is 7-1 with a 2.83 ERA against them at Rogers Centre.
Parvano is 2-2 with a 4.65 ERA in six career starts against Toronto. On Aug. 29 against them, he allowed one run in six innings to gain credit for a 2-1 win. That sounds like a typical Halladay game loss.

Lineups: New York: Gardner, Cano, Abreu, Nady, Giambi, Betemit, Ransom, Cabrera, Cervelli and Pavano pitching. No Damon, Jeter or Rodriguez, Yankees feel they can handle Jays anyway. That should be red flag to Jays hitters.
Toronto: Inglett, Scutaro, Rios, Wells, Lind, Overbay, Rolen, Snider, Zaun and Halladay pitching. I rest my case above re Cito and his managing style. At very minimum he should be moving Lind down, and changing Rolen’s position. But this is Cito and the bad news is that this is it until 2010.

The result: Jays hammer Yankees 8-2. Thanks to great complete game win number 20 for Halladay and hitting up and down the lineup. As we suggested in the preview, this team can score big one night and then go cold for a week, IF ONLY they could be consistent this team would be a challenger no doubt. Lets see if they can carry this in to Baltimore tomorrow.

The good: 13 hit attack. Wells first two at bats, HR and single, 4RBIs. Jays 6/13 with runners in scoring position and still left ten on base. Snider 3-4. Lind back to form with two hits. Ten singles from these Jays tonight. Turning two double plays.

The bad: No not tonight… lets enjoy the Yankees losing.

The game: Top 1st: Gardner at bat, singles into CF. Cano at bat one on, grounds to Scutaro flip to Inglett on to Overbay double play ball, just what the doctor ordered. Two down for Abreu,fly ball out to Lind in LF for third out. Eleven pitches.
Bottom 1st Let’s see what the Jays hitters have brought tonight. Inglett leading off. Grounds to 2B Cano throw to Giambi, one down. Scutaro last night’s goat with his terrible throw away at 1B to allow two runs to score, grounds out to Giambi at 1B two down for Rios. Fly ball out to Gardner. Jays go quietly, no meekly more like it. Is that just eight pitches ?

Top 2nd: Nady at bat, fly ball out to Snider in RF tonight. That is his best position and let’s hope it will not be too long before he is out there everyday. Giambi with one down. Doubles into LF, the shift right was on and Lind’s throw weak and off the bag. One on one down for Betemit, grounds to Inglett throw to Overbay for the out, Giambi moves to 3B. Ransom at bat. Grounds to Scutaro, throw to Overbay for third out. Twenty nine pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Wells, has been sitting for half an hour DH tonight. Swings at first pitch though, good to see he is consistent. Grounds to Betemit, who drops the ball. Wells safe on the error. That would have been an easy out. Can Jays make them pay? Lind at bat, strikes out, Adam really is in an end of season slump. Head in the air and off the ball as he swings away. One down for Overbay. 3-1 count, Lyle is patient, takes ball four outside.Two on now with one down for Rolen. Scott this is where we all need a big HR here. Fly ball out to Gardner in CVF, runners have to hold. Snider at bat, moving up the order, good for Travis. Good time to cash in, singles into RF, Wels holds at 3B, bases loaded. Zaun at bat two down, this is probably Gregg’s last home game for the Jays. Takes ball three there a little too close Gregg. Grounds out to Giambi and that is one reason why he is history with this team. Thirty five pitches.

Top 3rd: Cabrera bunting pops it up foul but Zaun cannot get there, lines this one hard up the middle great highlight reel catch by Halladay. Cervelli grounds first pitch to Scutaro throw to Overbay for second out. Gardner doubles into RF corner, Cano doubles into RF corner, Gardner scores. 1-0 Yankees. Two down one on for Abreu. Grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for third out. 41 pitches.
Bottom 3rd: Inglett at bat, pops it up to shallow RF Nady, one down for Scutaro. Grounds to SS Ransom nice play and throw to Giambi for second out. Rios at bat. singles into LF. Finally a clean hit. Wells with one on and two down. Is Alex running ? seems like a long time since he did steal. Yes, he is going here and safe at 2B. Some aggressive play here for a change by the Jays. 3-1 count now on Vernon. Line drive into LF this one is out of here, HR Vernon,just clears the fence and Jays finally get a run and go out ahead of Yankees 2-1 Jays. Lind at bat, keep the line moving Adam. Grounds one hard off Pavano’s foot, no chance for Betemit throw and Lind safe at 1B. Overbay now keep the pressure on this guy Lyle. Pops it up foul to LF nice running catch by Cabrera for third out but Jays hit back to take the lead. 53 pitches.

Top 4th: Nady fly ball out to Rios in RF, one down. Giambi at bat with shift right on again and pops up foul at 3B. Rolen would have had that in normal fielding position. Come on Cito take note here that is the second at bat Giambi is going opposite field. Strikes out. Two down for Betemit. Strikes out. Good quick inning for Halladay here. 51 pitches. Now for the hitters to put this one away for him.
Bottom 4th: Rolen first pitch high fly ball to CF wall for Gardner. One down. Snider at bat. I like this kid, always seems to be thinking, does not swing at first pitch for a start. 3-1 count. Chops this one to 2B Cano throws the ball away at 1B. Would not have had Snider anyway. Zaun swings way off the ball, now singles this one up the middle past a diving Cano, two on for Inglett. Singles into RF, Snider scores. 3-1 Jays. Zaun moves to 2B and Inglett at 1B for Scutaro. 72 pitches. Grounds to SS throw to Cano for Inglett out but Zaun moves to 3B. Two on two down for Rios. Make me a believer Alex. You can break this one open. 3-0 count, and now walks on four pitches. Bases loaded for the big guy sitting on the bench tonight. Wells with bases loaded. Earn your money here Vernon. Good man, lines it into LF Zaun scores, Scutaro scores. 5-1 Jays. 4 RBIs tonight for Vernon. That’s it for Pavano. Here comes Girardi. Rios at 3B, Vernon at 1B for Lind at bat. Dan Giese now pitching. Lid high fly ball out to Gardnber in CF for third out. Jays have given Halladay something to work with now finally, Burnett must be sorry these guys were not doing this last night.

Top 5th: Ransom at bat 3-0 count and walks on four pitches,that is unusual for Roy. Cabrera with one on. Singles into RF corner, Ransom moves to 3B. Two on and no outs. Grounds to Scutaro on to Inglett on to Overbay double play ball. Perfect timing for Halladay. Cabrera scores 5-2 Jays. Two down for Gardner. Grounds to Inglett great diving stop and throw to Overbay not in time. First pitch, Gardner stealing, Cano grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for third out. 65 pitches.
Bottom 5th: Can Jays hitters keep the line moving? Overbay at bat strikes out swinging. One down for Rolen. Singles into RF, no chance for diving Betemit. Snider at bat one down and one on. Doubles to the wall in CF Rolen scores from 1B. Snider’s sixth double this season 6-2 Jays. Zaun with Travis at 2B and one down. Full count, hits this one off the wall in right centre, Snider scores 7-2 Jays. Hit number nine for Jays.That’s it for Geise. David Robertson now pitching. Inglett at bat, grounds to Cano throw to Giambi for second out. Zaun to 3B. Scutaro now. Full count. Walks him high and outside pitch. Rios again, would love to get in on the action, not like that Alex, high fly ball first pitch swing for out to Nady in RF. Not the smartest at bat when he has just walked Scutaro, but then it is Alex.

Top 6th: Halladay with a nice comfortable lead here. He has not had many of these this season so deserves it. Abreu at bat. Grounds to 2B Inglett throw to Overbay for first out. Nady grounds out to Overbay at1B. Two down. Giambi, this time the shift does work, grounds first pitch to Inglett almost behind Overbay at 1B, throw to Lyle for third out and very quick three up and down for Roy. 70 pitches.
Bottom 6th: Wells at bat, Edwar Ramirez pitching. Vernon two hits and four RBIs tonight. Jays hitters are already 5/11 tonight go figure this team, someone. Vernon swings wildly at this one One down for Lind. Adam lines this one into right centre. One on one down for Overbay Overbay and Scutaro are the only ones without a hit tonight. Full count. Strikes out swinging over this one. Rolen with two down and one on. Grounds to Betemit at 3B throw to Cano to get Lind at 2B.

Top 7th: Betemit grounds to Overbay, throw to Halladay for out at 1B, one down for Ransom bounces first pitch back to Halladay throw to Overbay for second out. Cabrera strikes out, eight pitch inning for Halladay. 79 pitches.
Bottom 7th: Snider at bat, Humberto Sanchez now pitching. Pitcher number five for Yankees tonight. Lines one to LF corner but Cabrera runs it down for nice catch. Zaun with one down. Gregg 2-3 tonight. Walks, he has had a good evening. Top of the order again for Jays. Inglett his fifth at bat. Twelve hits and three walks will do that for a team. 3-0 count. Walks another. Two on and one down for Scutaro who is hitless tonight. Your big chance Marco. There you go Marco, singles into RF corner, Zaun scores 8-2 Jays. Inglett at 3B.Two on for Alex. Keep this going Alex, these are the Yankees, not like that, grounds to SS Ransom on to 2B Cano on to Giambi double play ball.

Top 8th: Cervelli at bat, strikes out on three pitches. Number 285 for Roy a career high.Gardner at bat, one down. 3-3 tonight, not this time grounds to Overbay throw to Halladay beats out Gardner at 1B, two down. Cano grounds out to Overbay. 88 pitches. He will be out for the ninth.
Bottom 8th: Wells at bat, Darrell Rasner now pitching. Grounds to Betemit throw to Giambi for first out. Lind at bat, 2-4 tonight, much better game for him, maybe he can finish this weekend hitting. Grounds out to Giambi. Two down. Overbay the only Jays hitter without a hit tonight. Not this time either, grounds to SS Ransom throw to Giambi for third out.

Top 9th: Can Halladay finish this one and get number twenty win? Abreu at bat, strikes out on three pitches, not tonight Bobby. Nady lines out first pitch to Snider in RF. Two down for Damon pinch hitting for Giambi, grounds to Inglett throw to Overbay and Roy has win number twenty. Is he a happy guy ? Jays win this one 8-2 going away with a great all-round performance that we have not seen much of this season.

Hitting, fielding and Halladay on form for yet another complete game. In only 96 pitches.20 ground ball outs for Roy.

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