Roy Halladay celebrates with catcher Rod Barajas after finishing his complete-game victory Sunday in Toronto.

AP photo / The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese

TORONTO –– There wasn’t a better pitching matchup all across baseball than Boston’s Jon Lester against Toronto’s Roy Halladay at Rogers Centre on Sunday.

Halladay recorded his fourth complete game of the season in a 3-1 victory as Toronto took two of three games to win the series over Boston. The veteran right-hander allowed only one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks to improve to 11-3.

"Wow. I stand by my statement I made the other day," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "I thought they should have traded him to a National League team the other day. You don’t tip your hat during the game because you want to beat him, but that was a pretty good pitcher."

Lester was good, too, working seven innings and allowing three runs on five hits with four walks and six strikeouts. He threw 112 pitches, 66 for strikes. The southpaw dropped to 8-7 in 19 starts.

"He’s one of the best pitchers in the league," said Francona. "I know he had a slow start this year, but he’s one of the best. He knows it and we know it. He pretty much went toe-to-toe with Halladay. He didn’t quite match him, but he still pitched great. But it was against Halladay."

In a crisp two-hour-and-15-minute game, Halladay proved why he’s considered one of the best pitchers in baseball.

"It’s one of those days where you hate to do it, but you tip your hat because he pitched better than me," said Lester.

By now it’s no secret Halladay has waived his no-trade clause and the Blue Jays are actively shopping him to other clubs, including the Red Sox. Whether Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, who was in attendance for this series, pulls the trigger on a deal and surrenders at least three top prospects in the organization to acquire Halladay’s services remains to be seen.

Still, the Red Sox players got another first-hand look what it could be like if Halladay worked for them.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was asked after the game whether he thought of that while he was watching the performance.

"For him to get traded before the game?" said Pedroia. "That would be nice. We’ve faced him a bunch and everyone knows he’s one of the best. He goes out there and competes every time. You know you’re in battle when you face him."

While Halladay impressed, Lester and Francona both said Boston’s pitcher had to shake off a little bit of rust, especially since it was nine days between starts. Still, Lester wasn’t about to use his hiatus as an excuse.

"It’s definitely not the best I’ve thrown the ball, and it’s not the worst I’ve thrown the ball," he said.

The Sox hit Halladay hard in the top of the first inning.

After J.D. Drew struck out looking to lead off the game, Pedroia singled off Halladay’s glove, Kevin Youkilis doubled down the left-field line and David Ortiz provided a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Boston lead. Jason Bay ended the inning with an absolute seed to deep center field that Jays’ outfielder Alex Rios grabbed at the wall.

"I hit it fairly well, but you’re not going to get any cheapies out that way," said Bay. "I thought I maybe got enough of it. In the end, it would have made a big difference [if it had gone out], especially with him throwing. It was just a fly out to center field."

Lester made quick work of the Blue Jays in the home half of the inning, retiring the side in order. In the second, however, Lester wasn’t too happy with home-plate umpire Eric Cooper and his strike zone. Lester issued back-to- back one-out walks, which he did not agree with. Francona even had some words from the dugout for Cooper.  

"It’s one of those deals where the pitches could go either way," said Lester. "It went their way. That happens sometimes. I’ve got to do a better job of stepping back, taking a breath and realizing what I need to do at hand and letting it go. I didn’t do that. I was inconsistent both mentally and mechanically at times."

Lester’s batterymate got a really good look at the two called ball fours.

"I think on both of them he should have gotten both a called strike," said Jason Varitek. "He didn’t get the borderline calls."

The Jays’ Rod Barajas then hit a two-run double into the left-field corner to give Toronto a 2-1 advantage. The hit snapped Barajas’ 0-for-20 skid.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Lester got two quick outs before facing the Jays’ Kevin Millar, who hit a dribbler between the plate and the mound. Lester quickly pounced on it, but the ball had some back spin, forcing the southpaw to reach for it and make a quick off-line throw.

He then loaded the bases before helping himself when he snared a hard chopper back to the mound and made the underhand toss to first to end the inning and the threat. Lester cruised through the fifth before surrendering his third run of the game in the sixth as Toronto gained a 3-1 lead.

Having a two-run advantage with Halladay on the mound is always a good thing for the Blue Jays.

When that scenario presents itself, Halladay is known to take total control of the game and that’s exactly what he was able to do. He retired the final 10 batters.

As Bay put it after the game, Halladay’s strike/ball ratio is ridiculous. It certainly is. He tossed a total of 105 pitches on Sunday with 78 for strikes and only 27 balls. He entered the game with 106 strikeouts and only 17 walks this season.

"You know he’s throwing strikes," said Bay. "You’re not going to work him for a walk. Today he was very typical."

"He carved us up pretty good," said Francona.

jmcdonal@projo.com