Halladay Back in Cy Form

Roy Halladay pitched like it was 2003, when he won the American League Cy Young Award.

Halladay threw a five-hitter for his 16th career complete game, and pinch-hitter Russ Adams drove in the go-ahead run with a groundout to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night at Arlington, Texas.

Halladay (2-0) started the night with a 9.20 earned-run average in six appearances at the Rangers’ hitter-friendly ballpark, but he was in control as he struck out nine and walked one in his third start.

“It’s nice to go long in a close game,” Halladay said. “This has always been a tough lineup for me. I haven’t figured them out but I had a better idea than I had in the past.”

Toronto Manager John Gibbons said Halladay was pitching so well that he wasn’t tempted to go to closer Miguel Batista in the ninth.

“It was his game to win or lose,” Gibbons said. “I’m a rookie manager. He would have fought me if I tried to take him out.”

Cleveland 8, Chicago 6 -- Travis Hafner sparked a three-run sixth with a two-run double at Cleveland.

Victor Martinez hit his first homer of the season and drove in two, and Hafner and Ben Broussard also had two runs batted in apiece as the Indians pounded out 10 hits to avoid a three-game sweep.

White Sox left fielder Carl Everett left in the first inning with a bruised left shoulder after running into the wall trying to catch Broussard’s triple. Alex Cora’s groundball through the Chicago infield broke a 5-5 tie in the sixth.

Tampa Bay 12, Baltimore 7 -- Carl Crawford hit a three-run homer and Travis Lee and Josh Phelps also drove in three runs apiece at Tampa, Fla. The Devil Rays ended a three-game losing streak with 14 hits in support of Rob Bell (1-0).

Crawford’s second homer of the season was the big blow in a seven-run fourth inning against Sidney Ponson (1-1).

Seattle 10, Kansas City 2 -- The Mariners got three RBIs apiece from Richie Sexson and Jeremy Reed and beat the punchless Royals at Kansas City, Mo., for a three-game sweep in their first trip of the year.

Minnesota 10, Detroit 4 -- Brad Radke finally gave Minnesota what it was expecting from him with six strong innings and the Twins broke the game open with a big sixth inning to complete a three-game sweep at Minneapolis.