Toronto Blue Jays right-handed starter Bowden Francis came within three outs of throwing the fourth no-hitter of the season and the 326th no-hitter in Major League Baseball history on Saturday in a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Angels (box score).
Francis required 111 pitches to get through the first eight innings. He struck out 12 of the 27 batters he faced and issued three walks in the process. Nevertheless, he received the opportunity to close out history. Alas, Francis subsequently surrendered a leadoff home run to Taylor Ward to begin the ninth, ending the no-no, the shutout, and his afternoon all in one swoop. He was replaced by reliever Chad Green.
Francis, 28, entered Saturday having compiled a 4.38 ERA (93 ERA+) and a 3.63 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 games this season. Saturday represented his eighth start of the year, and his third consecutive quality start. Francis has appeared to figure something out as of late, as he's now surrendered one run or fewer while pitching at least seven innings in each of his last three appearances.
The Blue Jays scored two of their three runs in the first inning, one on a Vladimir Guerrero double and the other on a double by Joey Loperfido. Guerrero added a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the game further out of reach.
The three prior no-hitters this season were thrown by Houston Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco (against the Blue Jays on April 1); San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease (versus the Washington Nationals in July); and San Francisco Giants lefty Blake Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young Award recipient (against the Cincinnati Reds in early August). There has not been a combined no-hitter since last July, when three Detroit Tigers pitchers teamed up to blank these Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays have recorded just one no-hitter in franchise history. That was delivered by Dave Stieb against the Cleveland Guardians back in 1990. Brandon Morrow did come an out away from recording a no-no of his own in 2010 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Morrow's effort was thwarted by Evan Longoria.
