The Toronto Blue Jays nearly threw a no-hitter against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday and they have a chance to complete a sweep of the season series on Sunday afternoon.
Bowden Francis allowed a leadoff home run to Taylor Ward in the ninth inning on Saturday to end his no-hit bid in Toronto’s 3-1 victory over the Angels on Saturday.
Toronto has won the first three contests of the four-game series and holds a 6-0 advantage in the seven-game season series.
Francis, who had a career-best 12 strikeouts in his eight-plus innings, is 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA over his past three starts.
He already had a career-high 111 pitches when he entered the ninth. Ward homered on the 117th pitch to end his outing.
“He’s battled for a lot of years and has gotten to this point, so I didn’t want to take anything away from him,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “(Pitching coach) Pete (Walker) and I were on the same page. It was his until he gave up a hit.”
“I was ready to go however far we needed to go,” Francis said. “It’s all kind of in-the-moment type of thing. I know it’s kind of like an emotional decision. It’s kind of ride the wave and see how the game is going.”
Toronto is scheduled to start right-hander Kevin Gausman (11-9, 4.24 ERA) on Sunday. In 10 career starts against the Angels, he is 5-3 with a 3.92 ERA. He pitched seven scoreless innings against the Angels in Anaheim on Aug. 13 in a 6-1 victory.
The Angels are slated to start left-hander Tyler Anderson (10-11, 3.46). Anderson leads the American League with a 2.17 ERA on the road this season. He is 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in four career starts against Toronto.
He allowed seven runs in 5 2/3 innings in a 9-2 loss to Toronto on Aug. 14.
The Angels were without two regulars on Saturday — first baseman Nolan Schanuel (sore back) and center fielder Mickey Moniak (left elbow).
Schanuel is expected to sit out Sunday.
“That (artificial) turf is bad out there,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “(Friday) night he had a little trouble with his back and he came in (Saturday) and wasn’t feeling good, and I’m not going to push it if he’s not feeling good.”
Schanuel has had at least one hit in the eight games he has played since Washington moved him into the No. 3 spot, batting .379 (11-for-29) with four doubles.
“If he’s not comfortable within himself, I don’t want him out there,” Washington said. “I don’t want him out there worried about his back, trying to catch a ground ball, trying to throw. So I’m going to take care of that. I’m going to get him off his turf for the next two days.”
Moniak missed his second consecutive game since being hit by a pitch in the series opener on Thursday.
“He’s not feeling good,” Washington said. “He’s not feeling bad. But it’s not feeling right.”
Washington said that Moniak might play Sunday.
Toronto’s Daulton Varsho had an infield hit on Saturday to extend his on-base streak to 22 games.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 2-for-3 with a homer, double, two RBIs and an intentional walk on Saturday. He is 8-for-20 (.400) with three doubles, three homers, six RBIs and three walks against the Angels this season.
–Field Level Media