In what should have been Roy Halladay's first return to Toronto, the Doc was domintant in a 9-0 win over the Blue Jays. Thanks to security concerns connected with the G20 Summit in Toronto, the weekend series was shifted to Philadelphia, albeit played as a road game for the Phillies. The Phillies batted first and wore their road gray unis; the DH was in effect. In all ways possible the game was played as a road game in an American League park. Except for attendance figures, stats, however, will hold true to location. That means that the game counts as a sell-out of sorts for Toronto and the win as a home win for Halladay.
The Phillies broke the game open with a six-run fifth that put them up 8-0. Ross Gload, playing first for the DH'ing Howard, had a bases-clearing triple in the fifth. A day after his four-hit game, Placido Polanco was very unPolly-like, grounding into three (!) double plays. Shane Victorino's eighth-inning solo home run was the cherry on top. It was also the only home run of the game. Jimmy Rollins, meanwhile, had a career-high four walks.
Blue Jay fans will have to wait till next year to see fan-favorite Halladay pitch again in front of his former hometown team. Halladay allowed six hits in seven innings: Jose Contreras and David Herndon finished the shutout.
Evan Turner, the #2 pick in this year's NBA draft, threw out the first pitch. On Thursday that honor went to former-Sixer great Moses Malone, who was greeted with cheers and hollers.
The game ended in time for TV viewers to catch the final two innings of a wild no-hitter thrown by Edwin Jackson of the Diamondbacks against his former team, the Tampa Bat Rays. Jackson threw 149 pitches, walked eight, and hit a man but finally got the no-hitter. Including two perfect games, it was the fourth no-hitter this season. It was also the third time that the Rays have been no-hit since last July. Bizarre.
