Phillies defeat Jays, 5-3

TORONTO - For nearly three minutes Saturday, they stood and cheered Roy Halladay as he threw a handful of warm-up pitches. "Something I'll never forget," Halladay would say later. This was a chance to give thanks almost 18 months overdue.

For 12 seasons, Halladay pitched here. These Blue Jays fans witnessed the metamorphosis of a 21-year-old able to flirt with a no-hitter on pure talent alone into the game's best pitcher with a machinelike work ethic, only for the narrative to flourish in a different city, a different league, and a different country.

Halladay was on the mound when it was over at Rogers Centre, having finished what he had started - a 5-3 Phillies win - and why should it be any other way? The cheers became boos, but then mutual respect overcame everyone in this building. Halladay, sensing it, tipped his cap before he disappeared into the visitors dugout after throwing 110 pitches.

"You're never sure how you're going to feel," Halladay admitted. "I was definitely anxious warming up and walking onto the field. It was definitely different. Once the game started, I felt like it was a normal game."

He pitched a complete game, a fading art in baseball revived by Halladay and appreciated in both Toronto and Philadelphia. He coughed up an early one-run lead, but after Chase Utley crushed a home run off a lefthander for the first time this season - a two-run bomb in the seventh inning off Luis Perez - the outcome was in Halladay's capable right hand.

The Phillies have not lost a game started by Halladay since May 15. He is 11-3 with a 2.44 ERA and is a prime candidate to start for the National League in the 82d All-Star Game next week.

"He's an animal," Utley said.

Everyone knew there would be emotions Saturday. Halladay tipped his cap twice Friday when he carried the Phillies lineup card to home plate. The 44,078 in attendance Saturday stood and cheered for the duration of Halladay's warm-up pitches in the middle of the first inning.

The cheers were louder when Jose Bautista, the game's best hitter, got to Halladay, the game's best pitcher. He walloped a solo home run off a window in straightaway center field below the hotel built into Rogers Centre to tie the game in the fourth.

"Might be the hardest one I've seen hit this year," Charlie Manuel said. "That might have gotten Doc a little mad, though."

With "M-V-P!" chants circling Rogers Centre in the eighth, Halladay faced Bautista again in a one-run game. This time the slugger bounced one to third.