In a fantastic display of quality baseball, the Jays beat the Detroit Tigers by a 12-5 score to win their first game en route to AL East domination.
Roy Halladay started for the Jays and dominated through the first 6 innings, looking very sharp. Doc faltered in the 7th, giving up 4 runs that inning, but by then the game was well in hand.
Adam Lind and Travis Snider were the banner players for the Jays' offense - Lind got the Jays on the board with a 2-run single in the first, and added a three-run home run in the 7th. He finished with 4 hits in 5 appearances and 6 RBI and looked very good at the plate. Lind's dinger was to the deepest part of the field, came with two outs, and was generally very impressive. The young man we call Moonraker was 2-4 with a home run of his own and a double as well. Moonraker's dinger was to the opposite field which was great to see and he looked equally impressive at the dish. As for the other Jays, Vernon Wells and Alex Rios had 2-hit games with a two-bagger each and also walked three times between the two of them. Lyle Overbay added a two-run gapper double in the first inning and Marco Scutaro had a triple and a walk and scored, all on very aggresive baserunning.
After Halladay, Jesse Carlson, Brandon League, Scott Downs, and Brian Tallet shut the Tigers down.
All in all, it was a very impressive first game for the Jays. Their bullpen pitched well and the hitting did a great job against Detroit starter Justin Verlander and the bullpen. The Jays were taking pitches and driving pitches. They left a lot of runners on base, but that will happen when you get 15 hits and 4 walks (and Scott Rolen was hit on the forearm with a pitch).
It is a very, very long story, but Mrs. Hugo and I are now in Toronto, not the maritimes, and have tickets to tomorrow's game. I can't say I'm too disappointed.