Back to back and belly to belly

Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira hit back to back homeruns off of Roy Halladay in the eighth inning, as the Yankees defeated the Blue Jays tonight 5-3. The win improves their record to 64-42.

The Yankees never trailed in this one, scoring twice in the first inning off a Alex Rodriguez double, and a Kevin Millar error. The Blue Jays got one back in the fourth when Alex Rios hit a sac fly, but then Damon (18th) and Teixeira (27th) did their damage in the eighth, making it a 4-1 game. The Jays scored twice more in the eighth when Vernon Wells doubled off of Mariano Rivera, making it a 4-3 game. However Hideki Matsui hit a homerun off Halladay in the top of the ninth, providing a much needed insurance run.

Andy Pettitte (9-6) won for the first time in six starts. The lefty allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struggled with his control tonight by walking four batters, but struck out six and got two double plays. He left with runners at first and second in the seventh but Phil Hughes came on and struck out Jose Bautista. Hughes gave up two singles to begin the eighth, then struck out two batters before being replaced by Rivera, who picked up his 31st save in 32 chances. He hasn't surrendered a run since the beginning of June.

Halladay (11-5) was the hardluck loser in this one. He came into this game 16-5 all time against the bombers. He went this distance in this one, and despite allowing the three homeruns showed great control by not walking a batter and striking out five. He still gets my vote for AL Cy Young.

The Yankees finish this two game series in Toronto tomorrow, before the big four game series with the Red Sox this weekend. The contest won't be the pitcher's matchup that tonight was. Sergio Mitre (1-0 7.90 ERA), who got shelled for five runs in three innings against the White Sox last Friday gets the start. He will be opposed by rookie 23 year old Marc Rzepczynski (1-2 3.35 ERA).

This was a good win for the Yankees, who have rebounded nicely after three straight loses to the White Sox to win on Sunday, and now beat Roy Halladay tonight. All systems seem set to go for the four game series against the Red Sox this weekend. I'm expecting a great series, and hopefully the Yankees are ready to extract some much sought after revenge against their rivals.

For the full boxscore of this game, click here.
(AP Photo/Chris Young)