Today's pitchers: Matusz vs. Halladay

LHP Brian Matusz (1-0, 1.80) today makes his second Major League start of this season. He got the win Tuesday at Detroit. In five innings, he gave up six hits and one run with three walks and five strikeouts. Matusz threw 99 pitches. In 19 starts this year between Frederick and Bowie, the 22-year-old Matusz went 11-2, 1.91 and fanned 121 in 113 innings. He began the year at Frederick, going 4-2, 2.16 in 11 starts. Matusz made his first Double-A start on June 17th and pitched even better with Bowie than he had at Frederick. In eight Baysox starts, he went 7-0, 1.55. In 46 1/3 innings he allowed 31 hits, including two homers. He walked 11 and struck out 46. On July 16th he allowed 6ER over 5 innings vs. Akron. In his seven other Bowie starts, he gave up just 2ER over 41 1/3 innings. With Bowie, right-handed batters hit .224 off Matusz while lefties hit only .077. He gave up an average of just .171 when pitching with runners in scoring position. Matusz was the Birds' first-round pick last year, the 4th overall pick. He gave up one run or less in seven of eight Bowie starts. RHP Roy Halladay (11-5, 2.75) today makes his 22nd start of this season, his 13th at home and the 27th start of his career vs. Baltimore. Despite his solid pitching, Halladay does not have many wins lately. He has been the winning pitcher in just one of his last eight starts. The Blue Jays are 11-10 when he starts, but are just 1-7 in the last eight Halladay starts. Over his last three starts, Hallday is 0-2, 2.88. In the first half he went 10-3, 2.85 in 17 starts. In the second half he is 1-2, 2.34 over four starts. Halladay gets better as the game goes on: Pitches 1-25: opponents bat .288 Pitches 26-50: opponents bat .241 Pitches: 51-75: opponents bat .197 As usual, Halladay has been a workhorse this year, pitching at least seven innings in 19 of his 21 starts. In 12 home starts, he is 7-3, 2.71. The six-time all star has five complete games and one shutout this year. He blanked Kansas City on seven hits on June 7th. Hallday was the 2003 Cy Young award winner and finished second for the award last season. Halladay is tied for first in the AL with five complete games. He is third in ERA and first with a 6.7 strikeout to walks ratio. Halladay vs. Baltimore: 2009: 1-0, 3.60, two starts (15IP, 18H, 3B, 11K) 2008: 2-0, 3.07, two starts Career: 19-4, 2.92 in 30 games, 26 starts (185IP, 180H, 38B, 107) Career at Rogers Centre: 11-2, 2.61, 15 starts O's hitters, career vs. Halladay: Andino: 3-3/0/0, three singles Huff: 16-60/0/4 Izturis: 1-6/0/1 Jones: 5-19/0/1 Markakis: 8-37/1/3 Moeller: 0-5/0/0 Mora: 20-68/2/8 Pie: 1-3/0/0 Roberts: 18-61/0/2 Scott: 6-12/3/6 Wigginton: 7-22/1/2