PHILADELPHIA - This was more like the Roy Halladay everyone is used to.
Halladay tossed a two-hitter over seven innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night in a rain-shortened game to snap a four-game losing streak.
Halladay (2-2) allowed 2 runs, walked 2 and struck out 6 to record a complete game. He’s had consecutive strong outings after starting the season with two poor ones. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is coming off an injury-plagued, sub par year, but has looked like his old self this week.
“Today was as close as I’ve felt to where I want to be,” Halladay said.“When I stay within myself and execute the mechanics the way they should be done, I feel good where I’m at.”
Jimmy Rollins, Ben Revere, Humberto Quintero and John Mayberry Jr. each had two hits for the Phillies, who busted out of their slump with five runs off Jaime Garcia (1-1) in the first inning.
Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday hit home runs for the Cardinals.
Garcia allowed 8 runs - 4 earned - and 9 hits in 3 innings.
“They put some good swings on the pitches I was making,” Garcia said. “No excuse. I just didn’t get the job done.”
The game was called after a 35-minute rain delay before the bottom of the seventh.
BREWERS 5, CUBS 4 Ryan Braun hit a three-run home run, and Jean Segura produced some bizarre base running in Milwaukee’s victory over visiting Chicago. Segura somehow wound up safe at first base after attempting to steal third, only to later be thrown out attempting to steal second base again. It didn’t matter, though, because Braun went deep against Jeff Samardjiza (1-3) and Anthony Rizzo hit his fifth home run of the year for the Cubs.
MARLINS 2, REDS 1 Justin Ruggiano hit a home run off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning, sending visiting Miami to a victory that snapped Cincinnati’s winning streak at four games.
METS 7, NATIONALS 1 Matt Harvey (4-0) out pitched Stephen Strasburg in a marquee match up of young aces, escaping a late bases-loaded jam while the crowd chanted his name and leading host New York over Washington.
PIRATES 6, BRAVES 0 Wandy Rodriguez (2-0) faced the minimum while allowing one hit in seven innings to out pitch Tim Hudson and help host Pittsburgh beat Atlanta. Pedro Alvarez homered for the second consecutive game and Russell Martin, Neil Walker and Travis Snider each reached base three times for Pittsburgh.
ROCKIES 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1 Jhoulys Chacin (3-0) pitched effectively into the seventh inning before leaving with an injury as host Colorado beat Arizona. Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run home run and Chacin helped himself by driving in a run with a sacrifice fly.
AMERICAN LEAGUE RANGERS 7, MARINERS 0 Yu Darvish struck out 10 while allowing only three hits over seven innings for host Texas in a victory over Seattle. In his 33rd career start in the major leagues, Darvish (3-1) had his 10th career 10-strikeout game.
RAYS 8, ATHLETICS 3 Evan Longoria hit a two-run home run and Ben Zobrist had two RBI singles to help host Tampa Bay Rays beat Oakland.
YANKEES 9, BLUE JAYS 4 Andy Pettitte (3-0) pitched effectively into the eighth inning, Travis Hafner homered and had two RBI, and visiting New York beat Toronto.
ASTROS 3, INDIANS 2 J.D. Martinez and Rick Ankiel hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning and host Houston held on for a victory over Cleveland. The win snaps a fivegame skid for Houston and extends Cleveland’s losing streak to five. Houston starter Lucas Harrell (1-2) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings before three relievers combined to shut Cleveland out the rest of the way.
Friday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 6, Atlanta 0 Philadelphia 8, St. Louis 2 (7) Miami 2, Cincinnati 1 NY Mets 7, Washington 1 Milwaukee 5, Chicago Cubs 4 Colorado 3, Arizona 1 San Diego at San Francisco, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
NY Yankees 9, Toronto 4 Kansas City at Boston, ppd.
Tampa Bay 8, Oakland 3 Texas 7, Seattle 0 Houston 3, Cleveland 2 Minnesota at Chicago, ppd., weather Detroit at LA Angels, (n)
INTERLEAGUE
LA Dodgers at Baltimore, ppd., rain
Sports, Pages 24 on 04/20/2013