Halladay Recaptures His Winning Touch

Roy Halladay got right back to winning.

Halladay became the first 16-game winner in the majors, pitching his third complete game of the season as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7-3, Wednesday at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Halladay (16-3) gave up nine hits, struck out six and walked none. The right-hander lost his previous start, 5-0, to the Angels last Friday, ending a personal 15-game winning streak that tied the team record set by Roger Clemens in 1998 and was one short of the American League mark.

“I don’t know what Cy Young looked like, but he ain’t got nothing on Doc,” Blue Jay Manager Carlos Tosca said.

Halladay threw 108 pitches in his eighth career complete game.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Halladay said. “I think it’s coincidental more than anything, just with the team scoring a lot of runs for me. It’s nice.”

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Chicago 4, Kansas City 3 -- Bartolo Colon scattered three hits over eight shutout innings, and Roberto Alomar homered for the first time since being traded as the White Sox won at Chicago to pull within a game of first place in the AL Central.

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Cleveland 10, Seattle 6 -- Travis Hafner homered and drove in a career-high four runs and the Indians ended Joel Pineiro’s eight-game winning streak with a victory at Cleveland. The Indians pounded Pineiro (13-6) for seven runs and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings.

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Texas 5, New York 4 -- Reliever Mariano Rivera threw away a bunt that set up pinch-hitter Hank Blalock’s two-run single in the ninth inning and the Rangers rallied past the Yankees at New York. Texas had been 0-59 this season when trailing going into the ninth.

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Oakland 9, Detroit 3 -- Eric Chavez homered twice, doubled and drove in five runs to lead the Athletics at Detroit. Tim Hudson pitched Oakland to its 10th victory in 13 games.

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Minnesota 7, Baltimore 3 -- Torii Hunter hit a three-run homer and Shannon Stewart had a solo shot in a five-run fourth inning that powered the Twins at Baltimore.