TORONTO –
Bolstered by a four-run second, Chris Bassitt pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a series-opening 4-0 win against the San Francisco Giants on Friday.

The American League East-leading Blue Jays (56-41) halted a two-game losing streak and handed the Giants (52-46) their third straight loss before 41,339.

Bassitt (10-4) became the eighth pitcher in Major League Baseball to reach 10 wins in 2025. In his 97-pitch effort, he yielded 10 hits but didn’t walk a visitor and struck out five.

The Blue Jays sent 10 batters to the plate in the second inning. Joey Loperfido put his team on the board first with a run-scoring double down the right-field line.

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Will Wagner then knocked in two more with a double, and Nathan Lukes scored Wagner with a single to right.

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George Springer led the Blue Jays’ 10-hit attack with three singles, followed by two hits apiece from Alejandro Kirk and Loperfido.

Justin Verlander (0-8) lasted only 66 pitches and 2 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits with two walks and no strikeouts.

This was the 42-year-old righty’s first visit to Rogers Centre since he was with the Houston Astros and tossed his second no-hitter in Toronto on Sept. 1, 2019.

Takeaways

Giants: Third-baseman Matt Chapman performed in his first game in Toronto after departing as a free agent from the Blue Jays two years ago.

Blue Jays: There was a moment of silence before the game to honour former pitcher Jim Clancy, who passed away at 69 on July 12. He ranks second in club history in starts (381), innings pitched (2,517) and complete games (74).

Key moment

After giving up a leadoff double to right-centre to Rafael Devers in the sixth inning, Bassitt recorded three straight outs to preserve his shutout.

Key stat

At 33-16, the Blue Jays have the best home record in the American League.

Up next

Lefty Eric Lauer (4-2) will face Giants righty Logan Webb (9-6) in the middle game of the three-game set. Webb pitched a scoreless third inning for the National League in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025.

&copy 2025 The Canadian Press

On Wednesday night, residents of Erin, Ont., called police after a bear was spotted heading into backyards while looking for a snack, according to provincial police.

They say they got the call at around 9 p.m. after the black bear was spotted in people’s backyards on Pine Ridge Road.

The smallish bear did not do much damage, aside from knocking over a few bird feeders before it moved on.

“I don’t know where the bear went to after it was last spotted on Wednesday night just before nightfall,” Const. Kirk MacDonald told Global News in an email.

“There’s a lot of rural and forested areas nearby and it likely moved into a more secluded area after dark.”

MacDonald said the bear has made several appearances on social media in the area over the past couple of weeks after being caught on other people’s security cameras.

He believes the tourist to Erin, a town of about 11,000 people located about 30 minutes drive from Brampton and Guelph, to be a yearling black bear.

“A yearling is a young bear (no longer a cub but not considered an adult bear),” the constable explained.

“At this age, they leave their mother and go off to find their own territory and food.  They must eat a lot to build up their weight before they hibernate.”

He said the bears are often in search of food from bird feeders or garbage.

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“Approximately a month earlier, another bear was spotted in Caledon Village,” MacDonald said. “Every few years, we’ll get a handful of black bear sightings in our County within a short time frame and then nothing for years afterwards.

“Occasionally, black bears will travel south through forested corridors such as the Bruce Trail, from the Bruce Peninsula and cottage country searching for food sources particularly in spring and early summer.  They rarely stay in one place for long and avoid human contact.”

A release from police offered a number of tips from the Ministry of Natural Resources surrounding bear encounters.

The MNR says that bears aren’t always a threat but people should be concerned if a bear exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour.

If you do encounter a bear, the ministry says to not block its path and to keep away from the animal.

It also says to warn others about its location and to keep children and pets indoors. If you are near a building or a vehicle, get inside as a precaution.

If you have an issue with a bear, call the the Bear Wise line at 1-866-514-2327 for advice on how to avoid encounters during bear season.

If a bear approaches, the MNR says to back away slowly while keeping an eye on it. If the bear comes towards you, do not turn and run. Make noise, throw items and make yourself appear as big as you can.

If those options fail, back away from the bear while acting aggressively towards a bear.

“If you are carrying bear repellent, make sure you are familiar with the product and how it is used, using it only if the bear is attacking you or is extremely close to you,” the MNR offers.

Playing dead is an option but only if it is a mother bear which is attacking you in defence of cubs, the ministry notes.

“Fighting back is the best chance of persuading a bear to stop its attack, so use a large stick, a rock, or anything else that you can to deter the bear,” the MNR suggests.

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A small township in northern Ontario says it will suspend all municipal services next month, after years of financial instability and pleas for provincial help.

The Township of Fauquier-Strickland announced the decision last Tuesday, citing over $2.5 million in accumulated operating deficits and the complete depletion of reserve funds.

In a release issued July 9, municipal officials say they’ve exhausted all other options, including layoffs and significant service cuts.

Although the province’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing stepped in July 10 stating that they have arranged to meet with council and municipal staff during the week of July 14 2025, the town’s status remains uncertain.

Before the resolution to suspend all municipal staff was passed June 30th, the only alternative, according to the town, would have been to implement a property tax increase of 190 to 230 per cent on residents, which would have tripled most tax bills and potentially forced families from their homes.

The municipality says they has been operating with zero cash reserves for over a year, relying heavily on credit to fund ongoing operations. In 2024, property taxes were increased by 26 per cent in an effort to address the growing problem.

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The township says they previously requested financial aid from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, before receiving a letter from Robert Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on July 10.

Before the latest resolution, municipal employees were set to be laid off Aug. 1, 2025.

The town raised concerns, citing that the layoffs would have represented a significant loss for a community where the municipality is the largest local employer and one of the only sources of summer student employment.

“The temporary cessation of municipal services sends concerning signals,” the township’s initial release read, “and could undermine years of progress in regional development.”

After decades of population decline, Fauquier-Strickland and the surrounding region had begun attracting new families drawn by affordable housing and resource-sector jobs.

The municipality says they have reached out to neighbouring communities for support in advocating for provincial intervention, recognizing that the economic consequences this crisis could have on the small municipalities throughout the Highway 11 corridor.

“This represents the most difficult decision Council has ever had to make,” the July 9th statement said.

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