Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis aims to carry his success of August into September against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon.
A repeat effort would help the Blue Jays (67-73) avoid being swept in the two-game set.
The Phillies (82-56) overcame a 6-1 deficit to defeat the Blue Jays 10-9 on Tuesday on Kyle Schwarber’s ninth-inning, three-run homer off Chad Green. Schwarber had three home runs, giving him 31 for the season, while adding six RBIs and a career-best five hits.
The Phillies lead the season series 2-1.
Francis went 4-1 with a 1.05 ERA in six appearances (five starts) during August and was named American League Pitcher of the Month. He finished his successful month by holding the host Boston Red Sox to one hit over seven innings in a 2-0 victory on Thursday.
“He was just in total control,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “He’s got such a good way about him mentally, physically, execution-wise. His pitch mix is awesome. Not much more to say other than he’s really good right now.”
After throwing 117 pitches in his previous start when he lost a no-hit bid on a leadoff homer by the Los Angeles Angels’ Taylor Ward in the ninth, Francis (8-3, 3.66 ERA) said his stuff against Boston “wasn’t electric.” Yet he required only 70 pitches in his outing vs. the Red Sox while striking out five and walking none.
“Just furiously attacking the zone,” he said. “When you get ahead, strike one, it gets the hitter kind of anxious. I always pride myself on strike-throwing. … If you go five and strike out 10, it doesn’t really wow me. I’d rather go seven and strike out four or five.”
Francis has made one career appearance against the Phillies, in relief last year. He allowed one run on a home run in one inning.
He will face the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez (9-9, 3.49 ERA). The left-hander won his lone career outing against Toronto, a start on May 7. He allowed six hits and one run over seven innings in a 10-1 victory.
On Tuesday, Toronto wasted a four-hit game from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Daulton Varsho, Addison Barger and Guerrero each hit a two-run home run, and Leo Jimenez added a solo shot.
It was the second game in a row in which Green had allowed a three-run homer to surrender a lead. He yielded Royce Lewis’ three-run blast in the eighth inning on Sunday in a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Minneapolis.
Schwarber recorded his 12th homer leading off a game this season, the 43rd of his career. He is the first Phillies player to record five hits in a game since Matt Vierling on Sept. 21, 2022, against Toronto.
Philadelphia played without Alec Bohm for the fourth consecutive game on Tuesday. The third baseman left the Phillies’ Thursday game against the Atlanta Braves after the second inning with a sore left hand. X-rays were negative.
“It’s getting better,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s not getting better as quickly as we thought. Make sure that we knock this thing out. I’m always afraid — foot injuries, hand injuries, it affects people’s swings. And then they get into bad habits, and then they’re losing confidence.”
Bohm, who is not expected to go on the injured list, could play during the four-game series against the host Miami Marlins that opens on Thursday.
“We’ll keep monitoring day to day, I would think probably it’s going to be Miami,” Thomson said.
–Field Level Media