Mets Score Six in the Ninth in Comeback Win over Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Bowdin Francis was three outs away from no-hitting the New York Mets on September 11th, when Francisco Lindor stepped to the plate to lead off the ninth. Francis had an 0-2 count on Lindor when the Mets’ shortstop launched a home run to break up the no-hitter. The Jays’ pitcher has seen this before; back on August 24th, Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels also broke up a Francis no-hitter with a ninth inning lead off home run.

After the Ward home run, Francis was relieved by Chad Green who closed out the game without allowing any more hits or runs. The Jays won that game 3-0, but the Mets game would end a lot differently. Francis, who rarely throws over 100 pitches in a game, had thrown 111 including the home run pitch, so he again was relieved by Green. This time, Green allowed four runs in 2/3 of an inning before he was pulled in favor of Genesis Cabrera, who allowed one more in a third of an inning. The Mets had scored six runs to take a 6-1 lead. The Jays scored one in the bottom of the ninth to make it 6-2 but that was it.

New York improved to 80-66 and are in second place in the N.L. East, still eight games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who are 88-58. The Mets currently have the third and final N.L. Wild Card, but are just a game and a half behind the #2 San Diego Padres and two behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Mets have no more games remaining with Arizona or San Diego, but they have seven more with the Phillies staring with a with a three game series in Philadelphia on September 13th. They will host a four game set September 19th-22nd.