Sensible Bowden Francis flirts with one other no-no at famed Fenway

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With August coming to a detailed and the Blue Jays first profitable month of the season secured, the little victories have been a welcome growth for a dramatically under-achieving staff.

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And towering above the all-things-are-relative hollowness of a few of that positivity has been sensible Bowden Francis who as soon as once more flirted with a no-hitter in Thursday’s 2-0 win over the Boston Pink Sox at famed Fenway Park.

The strapping right-hander, who took a no-no into the ninth in his earlier begin on the Rogers Centre this previous Saturday, went 5.1 innings earlier than permitting a delicate line-drive single to Boston’s Nick Sogard, who had been called-up from triple-A previous to the sport, to disclaim his newest bid for historical past.

Over his previous 4 begins, Francis is charging past being merely a feel-good, short-sample-size-star, however the rise above story of a disappointing Jays season. After finishing the seventh inning on Thursday with simply that Sogard single towards him, Francis had allowed simply six hits and two runs in his earlier 29 innings of labor.

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Following that gruelling 117-pitch outing on the weekend, Francis was lifted after seven shutout frames at Fenway, one other dominating effort through which he allowed that solitary hit from 70 pitches.

The 28-year-old Floridian has been nothing wanting sensational over his latest sublimely profitable stretch, a commanding run that assured his identify will probably be a dominant a part of the low season discourse with the Jays.

How spectacular has that four-start surge been for Francis, who’s charging his means into being an everyday a part of the Jays rotation for 2025? For 3 of these outings, he’s allowed only one hit, with a mere three within the different.

And there’s lots extra.

Francis has put up a 4-0 document for his staff — an enormous a part of that profitable month — as he’s pitched to a skimpy 0.62 ERA over these 4 outings, putting out 32 whereas permitting simply three walks. Opposing hitters, in the meantime, hit for only a .065 common in that formidable four-gamer.

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He has allowed three or fewer hits over five-plus innings of labor in 5 consecutive begins, turning into the primary in Jays franchise historical past to take action.

He grew to become the fifth Jays pitcher to have a four-game streak with seven-plus innings and one or fewer runs allowed becoming a member of Roy Halladay (twice), Dave Stieb (twice), Roger Clemens and David Wells.

Main a Jays staff that received three of its 5 video games towards the Pink Sox this week to enhance to 66-70, Francis was environment friendly in his pitch rely and electrical in his supply as he shut down the Pink Sox by 5 no-hit innings. He started mowing down opposing hitters with a five-pitch first and had thrown simply 49 by 5 innings in what was shaping up as a exceptional reprise to his Rogers Centre gem on Saturday.

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Francis got here into Thursday’s recreation as the most well liked pitcher within the huge leagues over a three-start stretch that was spectacular, even when two of his dominating efforts had been towards the miserable-hitting Los Angeles Angels.

The win on Thursday — which precedes a three-game weekend sequence towards the Twins in Minnesota — improved the Jays document to 15-11 in August. And with due respect to the spectacular offensive output from a few of the younger hitters within the Jays lineup who’re getting a chance to play, the Francis work has been sensational.

What does it imply going ahead will unfold over the ultimate month of the season and into spring coaching, however at least, Francis has emerged as an vital piece of pitching depth for the Jays and at greatest, an vital a part of the rotation. Not solely has he improved considerably from his early season struggles when he pitched his means out of the beginning group, he’s throwing with the poise and confidence of a veteran.

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And over an unbelievable August, he’s been unhittable. Properly virtually, anyway.

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GAME ON

Whereas it will have been nice to see Francis pitch into the eighth on Thursday, Jays supervisor John Schneider did the best factor by his younger hurler. The 117 pitches he threw on Saturday was a profession excessive and solely twice had he topped 81 … Previous to permitting the hit to Sogard, the lone runner to succeed in on Francis was Jarren Duran who claimed first on a throwing error by younger Jays second baseman Leo Jimenez … 5 of the Jays first six hits on the night time had been doubles, together with an RBI rocket from Vlad Guerrero Jr. within the third to drive within the Jays first run of the night time as catcher Brian Serven to cross the plate. The second run got here throughout on an Ernie Clement double within the sixth to attain Addison Barger … With the win, the Jays scorching streak now consists of victories in eight of their earlier 12 contests and secured their second season sequence win at Fenway since 2017 … Chad Inexperienced shut issues down within the ninth to enhance to 16-for-16 in save conditions … The Francis-led shutout snapped a 76-game stretch through which the Jays had scored at the least one run.

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