Longoria drives in go-ahead run as Rays spoil Halladay’s potential goodbye, beat Blue Jays 4-2

Longoria, Rays beat Blue Jays 4-2 in 10 innings

TORONTO — It seems everyone in baseball, even commissioner Bud Selig, has an opinion about where Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay will end up before next week’s trade deadline.

As for Halladay himself, he doesn’t expect to go anywhere.

Evan Longoria hit a two-run double in the 10th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays spoiled what could have been Halladay’s final start for Toronto, beating the Blue Jays 4-2 on Friday night.

Halladay, the most sought-after player available on the trade market, pitched nine innings, then the Rays scored the go-ahead run against Scott Downs (1-2).

Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, but Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has set a loose deadline of Tuesday to work out a deal for Halladay. His next scheduled start is Wednesday at Seattle.

“If there was an urgency to be somewhere else and urgency from the team to have me somewhere else, I think it would be different,” Halladay said. “I just don’t get that feeling. At this point I feel like I’m going to be here.”

Selig weighed in Friday during an interview on Sirius XM Radio.

“This a very fluid situation,” Selig said, “but I think if he gets traded he’s going to wind up in the National League.”

That appeared to be a good bet in the hours before the game, as speculation increased that Toronto was close to a deal with NL East-leading Philadelphia.

Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said he has Halladay penciled in to start until September, acknowledging life without the durable right-hander would be tough.

“I don’t even want to think about it,” Gaston said.

In the 10th, Longoria dropped a one-out double in front of diving left fielder Joe Inglett. B.J. Upton scored from second, with Carl Crawford racing around from first.

“He threw a good pitch,” Longoria said. “I just put the hit in the right spot.”

Matt Garza (7-7) won for the first time in four starts by allowing two runs and five hits in nine innings, his longest outing this season. He walked none and struck out nine.

J.P. Howell closed it out for his 11th save.

Halladay allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits. He walked three and struck out 10, the eighth 10-strikeout game of his career. He is 0-2 in three starts against the Rays this season.

Halladay got his first standing ovation of the night before the game started, with fans rising to applaud as he walked in from the bullpen.

“It was electric. It was a great atmosphere,” Halladay said. “It was fun to be in.”

Still, the possibility that this could be Halladay’s final start in home colors did little to boost the crowd, announced at 24,151.

At New York, Joba Chamberlain (6-2) pitched two-hit ball into the eighth inning, Johnny Damon drove in three runs and the AL East leaders won their eighth straight. Derek Jeter had two RBIs and Jorge Posada hit a solo homer for the Yankees, who are 21-5 over the last month.

Oakland has lost eight straight to New York and 17 of 26 overall.

Brett Anderson (5-8), who came into the game riding a 21-inning scoreless streak, lost for the first time in six starts.

At Boston, Brad Penny (7-4) scattered five hits over 6 1-3 innings for his first win since June 17, helping the Red Sox snap a season-high five-game skid. Jonathan Papelbon escaped a ninth-inning jam to earn his 25th save.

Baltimore lost to Boston for the 10th time in 11 games. The Orioles fell to 1-15 on the road against division opponents this season — 2-26 dating to 2008.

At Detroit, Carlos Guillen and Justin Verlander led the Tigers to a sweep of the day-night doubleheader.

Guillen, just activated from the disabled list, homered in the nightcap to help Detroit increase its AL Central lead to two games over the White Sox. One day after Mark Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in major league history, Chicago lost not once, but twice.

Verlander (11-5) threw a six-hitter in the opener, allowing only an unearned run to beat Jose Contreras (4-9). Fernando Rodney saved the second game, his 21st in as many chances.

At Kansas City, Mo., Scott Feldman outpitched Zack Greinke with eight scoreless innings and Texas extended its winning streak to five.

The illness-depleted Rangers, who learned before the game that pitcher Vicente Padilla tested positive for swine flu, managed four hits.

Feldman (9-3) pitched beyond the seventh inning for the first time, allowing four hits for his career-high ninth win. Marlon Byrd homered and Hank Blalock hit a run-scoring single.

The Royals had five hits in their season-high 10th straight loss. Greinke (10-6) lasted seven innings and lowered his major league-best ERA to 2.04.

At Anaheim, Calif., John Lackey (6-4) shrugged off two solo homers by AL batting leader Joe Mauer to win his third straight start. Robb Quinlan, Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli all homered off Francisco Liriano (4-10) in Los Angeles’ seventh consecutive victory.

The Angels have won 11 of 12 to move a season-best 19 games over .500. They have gone 27-9 since June 12. Minnesota lost its fifth in six games.

At Seattle, Travis Hafner hit a two-run homer and Ryan Garko added a three-run shot to back Aaron Laffey (4-2). Ben Francisco and Jamey Carroll added solo homers for the Indians, who won consecutive games for the first time since July 3-4.