"A-Jee Sucks! A-Jee Sucks!"

That's what the fans at the Rogers Centre were chanting, anyway. Burnett lasted 7 2/3 innings, but faltered in the 4th, allowing three runs from which the Yankees would never recover. The additional two he gave up before getting pulled in the 8th were just formalities.

Our Philadelphia-based MLB Extra Innings observer Cliff informed me that one of the Blue Jays' announcer said it was the most enthusiastic he had heard that crowd since 1998. His partner compared it to the atmosphere during the USA vs. Canada game in the WBC. On the My9 broadcast, Ken Singleton added that it was the loudest he had ever heard the stadium.

Rightfully so, I suppose. The Jays have the best record in the American League even though they have only one member of their starting rotation from last year at the moment. Everything seems to be falling into place for a team that many predicted would finish in last place in the AL East. Aaron Hill and Adam Lind are both slugging over .550 and Marco Scutaro has an OBP just shy of .400. 

Just as everything seems to be going right for the Jays, Murphy's Law appears to be in full effect for the Yanks. Derek Jeter was scratched before the game with an oblique pull and Hideki Matsui was pulled with hamstringitis adding to the litany of Yankees unable to take the field. 

The offense was predictably anemic against Harry Leroy Halladay. Ramiro Pena, Brett Gardner and Kevin Cash were in the starting line-up and went a combined 1-10. Doc bludgeoned the Yanks with 72 of his 103 pitches going for strikes, en route to his 7th victory of the year and the 41st complete game of his career. The lone Yankee run came courtesy of A-Rod with two outs in the top of the seventh.  

The Yanks ineptitude was perhaps best characterized by a play that occurred with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning and runners on second and third. Rod Barajas hit a flare to right field that was caught by Melky Cabrera, who fired a bullet to home plate. The throw arrived in plenty of time... 

bounced right into the center of Kevin Cash's chest protector... 

but deflected towards third base...

Allowing Adam Lind to slide home safely. 

The run didn't ultimately matter, but it never seemed like the Yankees had a chance anyway. Halladay has won his last six starts against the Yankees, holding them to a 1.91ERA and averaging almost eight innings per start. He hasn't needed more than 110 pitches to dispose of the Yanks during that stretch (which includes three complete games). The night belonged to the Doc and there wasn't much the Yanks could do about it.