Cease's Historic Near-Miss
Cease Dominates Giants, Carries No-Hitter into Ninth as Blue Jays Secure 10-0 Win
Key Points
Ernie Clement made a notable seventh-inning defensive play, ranging to the left side of the bag to field Willy Adames' grounder and throwing to first for the out, helping to sustain the no-hitter bid.
Center fielder Myles Straw chased Bryce Eldridge's fly ball to left-center, hauled it in, and crashed into the wall in a highlight-reel catch during the late innings.
Kazuma Okamoto's grand slam traveled 328 feet down the right-field line, a drive Statcast noted would have been a homer only in San Francisco and Yankee Stadium.
Cease had previously thrown a no-hitter for the Padres against Washington on July 25, 2024, marking his second career no-hitter and adding historical context to his near-miss in Toronto.
Dylan Cease took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before Heliot Ramos lined a single up the middle to end the bid, as the Toronto Blue Jays crushed the San Francisco Giants 10-0 WRAL. Cease threw a career-high 118 pitches and struck out 11 before being lifted to a standing ovation from the Rogers Centre crowd.
The near-miss would have been Toronto's second no-hitter in franchise history, after Dave Stieb in 1990 Winnipeg Free Press. Cease already owns one no-hitter — he threw it for the Padres against Washington on July 25, 2024.
Ramos Singles in the Ninth to Break the Spell
Cease cruised through eight innings without allowing a hit. Then, leading off the ninth, Ramos slapped a ball right up the middle WRAL. The no-hitter was over. Cease had already thrown 118 pitches — a career high — and the Blue Jays pulled him right after the hit. He walked off to a loud, extended ovation.
Cease relied on two pitches all night: a high-velocity fastball and a sharp slider Winnipeg Free Press. Most of his 11 strikeouts came on one of those two offerings. He walked three batters but never let the Giants put a ball in play for a hit until that final at-bat.
Okamoto Grand Slam Blows the Game Open Early
Toronto put the game away fast. Kazuma Okamoto crushed a grand slam in the first inning, giving the Blue Jays a 5-0 lead before the Giants could settle in WRAL. The ball traveled 328 feet down the right-field line. Statcast noted it would have been a home run in only two ballparks: San Francisco and Yankee Stadium.
The big early cushion let Cease pitch freely. He didn't need to chase strikeouts or protect a slim lead. Toronto kept adding runs and finished with 10, giving Cease all the room he needed to hunt history Airdrie City View.
Straw and Clement Make Highlight-Reel Defensive Plays
Two defenders helped keep the no-hitter alive deep into the game. In the seventh inning, infielder Ernie Clement ranged to the left side of second base, fielded Willy Adames' grounder cleanly, and threw to first for the out St. Albert Gazette. It was a heads-up play on a ball that could have sneaked through.
Center fielder Myles Straw made the highlight of the night in the late innings. He chased Bryce Eldridge's fly ball all the way to left-center, caught it, and crashed hard into the wall WRAL. Straw held on. The crowd roared. Daulton Varsho also made a wall-crashing catch in the eighth to keep the bid alive.
Cease's Near-Miss Puts Blue Jays No-Hitter Drought in Focus
Toronto has not had a solo no-hitter since Dave Stieb threw one in 1990 Winnipeg Free Press. That's 35 years without one. Cease came as close as any pitcher has in that stretch. The loss of the bid stings, but his performance stood as one of the best single-game outings in Blue Jays history.
The game was also the last before the All-Star break, giving it extra weight Twin Cities Business Radio. Cease already proved he can finish the job — he did it for San Diego last year. Toronto fans now know what it looks like when he's at his best. They'll be waiting for him to do it again.
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