Bowden Francis led the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night at Fenway Park. Francis took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing a single hit in seven strong innings. The only Boston baserunner prior to that was Jarren Duran, who reached on an error in the fourth but was thrown out trying to steal second.
Francis struck out five batters and walked none before exiting with a 2-0 lead. Genesis Cabrera and Chad Green combined to allow just one more hit in the remaining two innings to complete the two-hit shutout.
On the offensive side, the Blue Jays scored runs in the third and sixth innings, with Brian Serven and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contributing key hits. Kutter Crawford pitched well for the Red Sox, holding Toronto to two runs over 6 2/3 innings, but ultimately took the loss.
The game also marked the 2024 debut of 44-year-old Rich Hill, who became the only active player to have appeared in each of the last 20 seasons.
The Blue Jays’ next game will see RHP Kevin Gausman face the Minnesota Twins, while the Red Sox will send RHP Tanner Houck to the mound against the Detroit Tigers. Overall, it was a solid performance by Francis and the Blue Jays, who continue to climb in the standings with this important win.
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