Angels break up no-hitter in ninth inning before losing to Blue Jays

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 Angels on Saturday.

Francis (7-3) walked three and hit a batter in his third consecutive win. He threw a career-high 117 pitches, 84 for strikes.

“It was his until he gave up a hit,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.

Francis was working on a no-hitter before 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.

Angels

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“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.”

The crowd of 34,011 then saluted Francis with a standing ovation when he was replaced by right-hander Chad Green, who earned his 14th save in 14 chances.

Francis said he was touched by the reaction as he exited.

“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 after going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts last week. In the first of those, he pitched seven innings in a road win over the Angels on Aug. 12.

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.”

Dave Stieb pitched the only no-hitter in Blue Jays history at Cleveland on Sept. 2, 1990.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 27th homer as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight meeting with the Angels.

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Angels right-hander Carson Fulmer (0-5) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

“He should be proud of his outing today,” Washington said.

Toronto’s Daulton Varsho singled in the first and advanced to third on Fulmer’s throwing error.

“If you pick that ball up and you decide to throw it, you have to focus on where you’re throwing it, not just throw it,” Washington said of Fulmer’s decision to pick up a ball that was rolling foul.

Guerrero followed with an RBI double and scored one out later on Joey Loperfido’s double.

Guerrero extended Toronto’s edge with a leadoff homer against Victor Mederos in the eighth.

Short hops

Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel will sit out the final two games of the series against the Blue Jays because of a sore back, manager Ron Washington said, adding that he wants to keep Schanuel off Toronto’s artificial turf. The Angels are off Monday. ... Outfielder Mickey Moniak was held out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. Moniak left Thursday’s game in the third inning after getting hit on the left elbow by a pitch. … Right-hander Kevin Gausman (11-9, 4.24 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays against Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson (10-11, 3.46 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale.