Cards/Toronto series lowdown

[Ego74]

CARDINALS at TORONTO Today through Wednesday at Rogers Centre
By Derrick Goold
Of the Post-Dispatch

Today, 6:05 p.m., FSN RHP Jeff Suppan (5-5, 4.28) vs. RHP Roy Halladay (9-2, 2.45)

Tuesday, 6:05 p.m., FSN RHP Chris Carpenter (8-3, 3.42) vs. RHP Chad Gaudin (1-1, 13.50)

Wednesday, 6:05 p.m., FSN RHP Jason Marquis (8-3, 3.27) vs. LHP Ted Lilly (3-6, 7.41)

Three UP: Roy Halladay, RHP, Blue Jays: The 2003 Cy Young winner is 5-1 in his past six starts with a 1.47 ERA. The two earned runs allowed in his last start were the most he'd given up in a month. Aaron Hill, 3B, Blue Jays : The rookie is batting .579 with runners in scoring position, including five for eight with two outs. He had 17 RBIs in first 21 games, and he hit .415 in his first 11 games. Vernon Wells, OF, Blue Jays: He had a .444 on-base percentage in nine-game stretch.


Three DOWN: Ted Lilly, LHP, Blue Jays: He has lost three consecutive starts, throwing 16 2/3 innings and allowing 12 earned runs and five homers. A dozen homers have been hit off him this season. Eric Hinske, 1B, Blue Jays: His average dropped nearly 30 points on road trip. He is hitting .100 with two RBIs this month and no home runs in past 14 games. Toronto offense: The Blue Jays have been shut out three times in the past 11 games and have scored more than four runs once this month. They are 0-7 in June when scoring three or fewer runs.

COMING AROUND: This will be the Cardinals' first visit to Toronto since a two-game exhibition series played there in 1998, and only the second time the Cardinals have played in Canada's largest city. ... Tony La Russa needs five wins on this nine-game trip to move into fourth place on the list of all-time managerial victories with 2,158. ... Toronto was swept in its three-game visit to Busch Stadium in 2003. ... The Blue Jays are returning from a 13-game trip. They went 4-9, losing the final four games. ... Gaudin allowed eight baserunners and seven earned runs as batters hit .778 against him in his last start, a 12-4 loss to Oakland on June 5. ... David Eckstein is nine for 23 in his career against Halladay, four for 22 in his career against Lilly. ... The Blue Jays are 0-24 when trailing after six innings.