No cheering in the press box ...

... At least, that's the rule.

But after watching Roy Halladay dazzle again and the Blue Jays offence fizzle in likewise fashion, it was hard to not to hang one's media credentialled head for a moment.

Dustin Pedroia - "Superman" as Vernon Wells later called him - robbed the Jays centrefielder of the game's first RBI in the ninth. Then the familiar duo of Ortiz and Ramirez got to Halladay with two out. Kevin Youkilis hit the dagger single. Wells, moving quickly from the penthouse to the rubbish bin out back, bobbled the ball. Ortiz, running hard, but hardly running from second, arrived home with the winning run and a bad case of mountaineer's lung.

For a while there, it looked like the only two Jays on the field were Halladay and David Eckstein. The Toronto shortstop fielded 10 groundballs for outs, three off the club record for assists in a game. Unfortunately, it looked like that on the offensive side of the ball as well. Toronto could only manage one hit - a single - off Boston starter Jon Lester.

Halladay has now pitched four consecutive complete games. That's three more than anyone else in the majors. And his record is 2-4. I'm sure the losses in Orlando and Kansas City all hurt. I wasn't there for them. But this one tonight looked like a gut buster in the Toronto dressing room.

Dustin McGowan will have his work cut out tomorrow trying to rally this crew.

Cathal Kelly

Comments

[brian hancox]

Can anyone please tell me what is going on with Vernon Wells? He is booting more balls that are hit to him in center field than he has at any time in his career. Something is indeed seriously wrong with a guy that can not field a slow two hopper cleanly. In all the years he has been a Blue Jay I have never seen him field so poorly. Two starts back I thought Halladay ripprd him from the mound when he fumbled a ball hit to center field than bounced his throw into second base.

The other thing is his throws from the outfield. They are so feeble at times it is silly. This guy needs to wake up or hit the pine because I do not care how many homeruns he hits if he can not play defence.

Brian Hancox Saint John, N.B.

[greg]

So it's the top of the 9th inning and Rios is at bat with a man on first. Runs are hard to come by in this 0-0 game. Fundamental good baseball would have Rios advancing the runner to 2nd with a bunt. He was swinging away. Eventually striking out. How many times am I going to hear the excuse "you can't take the bat out of Rio's hsnd". However we have lost 6 games in a row. We have to manufacture runs. This is not a good baseball team.

[Vik]

In yesterday's game Rios led off the 9th. There was no one on base when he hit...

[Gershon]

I think the baby blue throwback jerseys/caps would equate to more wins..
And where the %$^*$^ is Fasano when the team obviously needs the comforting atmosphere of his 'stache. That thing is gentle and warm, like a wood stove in a chilly cottage.

[rob]

here it is only the end of april and as usual the jays are just playing out the string. mind you 130 odd games is a lot of string to play out. it's sad but most of them seem to be waiting for the gm and manager to be fired. i'm not a big fan of ricciardi or gibbons but the team shouldn't be this bad. it's inexcusable.

[donnie-boy]

"A gut buster in the DRESSING ROOM"?

Try "CLUBHOUSE", Cathal.

Well, I guess that you're new at this.