TORONTO — If this was Roy Halladay's final start for the Blue Jays, the All-Star right-hander made it a good one.

Halladay pitched a six-hitter to win for the first time since June 7 and Rod Barajas drove in three runs, leading Toronto past the Boston Red Sox, 3-1, yesterday.

"He's the best pitcher I've ever had the chance to catch," Barajas said.

Halladay (11-3) could also be the biggest prize available before the July 31 trade deadline. Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said this month he would field offers for the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner, who is signed through 2010.

"I stand by what I said the other day," Red Sox manager Terry Francona joked. "They should have traded him the other day, and to a National League team."

Pitching at home for the first time since Ricciardi's comments, Halladay turned in a vintage performance. He struck out six and walked none, lowering his ERA to 2.73.

Halladay put all the talk behind him as he focussed on the second half.

"As much as a circus as that was, it kind of allowed me to get back here and just kind of put it out of mind and get back to my job," Halladay said.

Barajas put the Blue Jays in front with a two-out, two-run double in the second off left-hander Jon Lester (8-7).

YANKEES 2, TIGERS 1:

Joba Chamberlain (5-2) allowed three hits over 6 2/3 innings, and host New York got home runs from Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez to complete a three-game sweep of AL Central-leading Detroit.

Chamberlain struck out eight and walked three as the Yankees pulled within one game of AL East-leading Boston.

MARINERS 5, INDIANS 3:

Ichiro Suzuki had three hits, scored twice and made a game-saving catch as Seattle won three of four at Cleveland.

With one runner on and two outs in the ninth, Victor Martinez's bid for a game-tying, two-run homer was caught by a leaping Suzuki at the right-field wall.

ORIOLES 10, WHITE SOX 2:

Jeremy Guthrie (7-8) allowed two runs on three hits in eight innings, and Gregg Zaun hit a three-run home run as Baltimore avoided a three-game sweep at Chicago.

Zaun was 3 for 4 with four RBIs as the Orioles improved to 15-29 on the road.

RAYS 4, ROYALS 3:

Gabe Gross drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tiebreaking run with two outs in the eighth inning as Tampa Bay beat host Kansas City.

The Royals blew a 3-0 lead. It was the third straight game the bullpen failed to hold a lead. The Rays scored seven runs in the eighth innings in sweeping the three-game series.

ANGELS 1, ATHLETICS 0, 10 INNINGS:

Bobby Abreu, who broke up rookie Brett Anderson's bid for a perfect game with a seventh-inning single, homered off All-Star Andrew Bailey (4-2) with one out in the 10th inning as Los Angeles won three of four at Oakland.

Abreu's two big hits rewarded John Lackey (5-4), who allowed three hits over nine scoreless innings for the AL West-leading Angels.

RANGERS 5, TWINS 3, 12 INNINGS:

Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer with one out in the 12th inning as host Texas avoided being swept at home by Minnesota. It was Kinsler's second homer of the game.

Texas snapped a four-game losing streak to remain within three games of the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILLIES 5, MARLINS 0:

Rookie J.A. Happ (7-0) allowed five hits in seven innings, and Philadelphia extended its longest winning streak since 2006 to eight games by beating host Florida.

Happ also singled with two outs to start a three-run rally in the second inning.

The winning streak is the Phillies' longest since they won nine in a row April 30-May 9, 2006. Florida fell seven games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.

REDS 5, BREWERS 3:

Jonny Gomes hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning, sending host Cincinnati to a victory and a split of the four-game series with Milwaukee.

Gomes connected off Seth McClung (3-3). Gomes also had a run-scoring single.

CUBS 11, NATIONALS 3:

Alfonso Soriano's two-run homer keyed a seven-run fourth inning as Chicago completed a four-game sweep at Washington.

Jake Fox had three hits and a career-high four RBIs. Soriano's 16th home run began the biggest inning of the season for the Cubs.

GIANTS 4, PIRATES 3:

Matt Cain (11-3) held the Pirates to one run over seven innings to outpitch All-Star replacement Zach Duke (8-9), and San Francisco avoided a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh.

Cain, who gave up Brandon Moss' solo homer, was pitching for the first time since he was hit by a line drive off his right arm on July 11.

CARDINALS 2, DIAMONDBACKS 1:

Joel Pineiro hit a two-run double and gave up one run in seven innings as host St. Louis won two of three from Arizona.

Pineiro (8-9) struck out three and allowed five hits.

ROCKIES, 6, PADRES 1:

Jason Marquis (12-6) pitched eight innings, and drove in two runs, to become the majors' first 12-game winner as Colorado won three of four at San Diego.

Marquis gave up one run and five hits as he got 16 ground-ball outs.

DODGERS 4, ASTROS 3:

Matt Kemp hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, Brad Ausmus had a pair of RBI doubles and host Los Angeles beat Houston to earn a split of the four-game series.

In the eighth inning, Kemp drove a 3-2 pitch from LaTroy Hawkins (1-4) into the left-field pavilion for his 12th homer.

BRAVES 7, METS 1:

Yunel Escobar had two of his four RBIs in a five-run fifth inning, and host Atlanta won three of four from New York.

Braves right-hander Javier Vazquez (7-7) gave up six hits and one run in seven innings.