Bowden Francis pitches six innings as Blue Jays win third straight, beat Mariners 3-1

By Canadian Press on April 18, 2025.

TORONTO (AP) — Bowden Francis pitched six innings to win for the first time in three starts, George Springer had two hits and scored twice and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 on Friday night for their third straight victory.

Anthony Santander and Alan Roden drove in runs with sacrifice flies and catcher Alejandro Kirk hit an RBI single to help the Blue Jays improve to 8-3 at home.

Francis (2-2) allowed one run and five hits, walked one and struck out five. Jeff Hoffman finished in the ninth for his fifth save in five chances.

Springer returned to the lineup after not starting the previous three games to rest his sore left wrist. He singled and scored on Roden’s sacrifice fly in the second inning, then doubled and scored on Kirk’s hit in the third.

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (2-1) allowed three runs and a season-high seven hits in seven innings in his first losing start of 2025.

Seattle’s Rowdy Tellez hit a solo home run on the first pitch he saw from Francis in the second inning, his second. The Blue Jays traded Tellez to Milwaukee for Francis and right-hander Trevor Richards in July 2021.

Key moment

Seattle’s Randy Arozarena got caught in a rundown between third and home on Luke Raley’s two-out double in the fourth. Kirk chased Arozarena down to end the threat.

Key stat

Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger had three outfield assists, including two in the fourth. Barger’s throw to third to retire Tellez trying to advance on a fly ball in the fifth was measured at 98.8 mph, faster than any pitch thrown in the game. Woo and Hoffman each had fastballs measured at 98.0 mph.

Up next

RHP Logan Gilbert (1-2, 2.38 ERA) was scheduled to start for the Mariners on Saturday against Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (1-1, 5.16).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Ian Harrison, The Associated Press

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