Blue Jays’ Halladay Just Can’t Be Beat

Roy Halladay won his 13th consecutive decision as the Toronto Blue Jays ended a four-game losing streak Saturday with a 10-3 victory over the New York Yankees.

Halladay (13-2) became the first 13-game winner in the majors. He hasn’t lost in 17 starts since April 15 against New York.

“It’s really not something I’ve looked back on, and maybe I won’t until the end of the season,” said Halladay, who yielded two runs and four hits in eight innings, striking out six and walking none.

The 26-year-old right-hander is the first Toronto pitcher to win 13 straight decisions since Roger Clemens won a club-record 15 in a row in 1998. The last major league pitcher to win 13 straight decisions was Clemens, who won 16 in a row with the Yankees en route to a 20-3 record and his sixth Cy Young Award in 2001.

“It was a fun game for me, coming out and knowing you are facing one of the best teams in baseball. It’s a good challenge,” Halladay said.

Halladay would have been a strong candidate to start the All-Star game for the American League, but he pitched on three days’ rest Saturday and might not even pitch an inning Tuesday in Chicago.

Jason Giambi hit his 25th home run for the Yankees, who entered the day two games ahead of Boston for first place in the East Division.

Halladay gave up only one hit until Derek Jeter singled with two outs in the sixth and Giambi followed with his home run.

Frank Catalanotto hit a go-ahead, two-run single off Mike Mussina (10-6) in the seventh to give Toronto a 4-2 lead.

The Blue Jays, who had 14 hits, broke the game open in the eighth against the Yankee bullpen.

Chris Hammond gave up consecutive singles to Carlos Delgado and Greg Myers before right fielder Karim Garcia dropped an easy fly ball for an error, which loaded the bases.

After Reed Johnson hit a two-run double off Antonio Osuna, who was taken off the 15-day disabled list before the game, Howie Clark hit a two-run single and Jayson Werth hit a run-scoring double. Wells’ RBI single off Al Reyes made it 10-2.