TORONTO — Bowden Francis struck out a career-high 12 in a dominant performance for the Toronto Blue Jays, carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning of a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
“It was his until he gave up a hit,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.
Francis’s no-hit bid ended when Taylor Ward drove a 3-2 fastball deep to center for a leadoff homer in the ninth. It was Ward’s 17th homer of the season.
“I wasn’t scared at all,” Francis said. “I was just trying to attack. It was just one of those things that didn’t go my way but I felt like I was in attack mode and he put a good swing on it.”
“It was his until he gave up a hit,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.
Francis’s no-hit bid ended when Taylor Ward drove a 3-2 fastball deep to center for a leadoff homer in the ninth. It was Ward’s 17th homer of the season.
“I wasn’t scared at all,” Francis said. “I was just trying to attack. It was just one of those things that didn’t go my way but I felt like I was in attack mode and he put a good swing on it.”
“It was his until he gave up a hit,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.
Francis’s no-hit bid ended when Taylor Ward drove a 3-2 fastball deep to center for a leadoff homer in the ninth. It was Ward’s 17th homer of the season.
“I wasn’t scared at all,” Francis said. “I was just trying to attack. It was just one of those things that didn’t go my way but I felt like I was in attack mode and he put a good swing on it.”
“That was huge,” he said. “I have chills now. The crowd here is one of the best.”
The 28-year-old Francis was named American League Player of the Week last week after going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts. In the first of those, he pitched seven innings in a road win over the Angels on Aug. 12.
“I feel very proud of him right now,” Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said through a translator. “The last four or five outings he’s been incredible. Today was unbelievable.”
Francis is 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA and 27 strikeouts in his past three starts.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to the kid, he almost threw a no-hitter but I’m glad he didn’t,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “We couldn’t center him.”
It was the longest no-hit bid by a Blue Jays pitcher since Brandon Morrow threw 8 2/3 hitless innings against Tampa Bay on August 8, 2010. Dave Stieb pitched the only no-hitter in franchise history at Cleveland on Sept. 2, 1990.
Guerrero hit his 27th homer as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight meeting with the Angels.
Los Angeles has lost four straight and 10 of 12 overall.
- Angels right-hander Carson Fulmer (0-5) matched his season high with eight strikeouts and six innings. He was charged with two runs and seven hits.
