Bowden Francis took a no-hitter into the 9th inning, striking out a career-high 12 hitters as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Angels by a score of 3-1.
Carson Fulmer (0-4, 4.24) took the mound for the Angels, he lasted 6 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out eight, taking his fifth loss of the year. Bowden Francis (6-3, 4.38) got the start for the Blue Jays, and threw the best start of his career.
Francis threw 8+ innings, allowing just one run on one hit, walking three and punching out 12, taking his seventh victory of the year. Francis came three outs away from the first no-hitter of his career, and the second in Blue Jays history, the first and only no-no to date being thrown by Dave Stieb on September 2, 1990. Francis also threw a career-high 117 pitches and won his third consecutive game.
Toronto struck first, scoring in the bottom half of the 1st. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his fantastic year with an RBI double to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead. Joey Loperfido then drove in Guerrero Jr. with an RBI double to extend the lead to 2-0.
Vladdy would give the Jays their third run with a solo shot, his 26th of the year, in the bottom of the 8th to extend the Blue Jays’ lead to 3-0.
The Angels would get their only run in the top of the 9th, when Taylor Ward lead off the inning with a solo homer to cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 3-1.
Bowden Francis would be taken out of the game after giving up the long ball to Ward, and the Toronto crowd of 34,000+ would give their starter a big standing ovation. Francis was relieved by veteran closer Chad Green (4-3, 1.73), who would shut down the Angels in quick fashion to secure his 14th save in 14 tries.
Kevin Gausman (11-9, 4.24) will start for the Blue Jays as the Angels will send Tyler Anderson (10-11, 3.46) to the mound. The Blue Jays will look to sweep the Angels for the second time this year with a win in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
