Blue Jays shuff ling back to Buffalo

BUFFALO — The Toronto Blue Jays are returning to their home away from home, Buffalo, New York, starting in June. And this time, they’ll have a limited number of fans in attendance.

Forced from Canada by the government’s coronavirus travel restrictions, the Blue Jays posted a note on their Twitter account on Wednesday saying: “Buffalo, we’re BACK! We’ll see you June 1st.” The words were over a picture of Buffalo’s downtown Sahlen Field, the regular home of the Blue Jays’ Triple-A farm team.

Toronto played its first two homestands at its spring training ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, and will play its third there from May 14-24. But the Blue Jays did not want to remain in Florida for the hotter, more humid portion of the year. The Blue Jays return to Buffalo with a homestand that includes games against Miami on June 1-2 and Houston from June 4-6.

Tickets in Buffalo will initially be available through the Blue Jays’ 10-game homestand concluding on July 4 before the team considers whether it can return to Toronto following the all-star break, said Mike Buczkowski, president of Rich Baseball Operations, which owns the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

The Blue Jays played home games during the shortened 2020 season in Buffalo and were 17-9 at Sahlen Field.

The Jays are 7-4 in Dunedin this season and 8-10 on the road after beating the A’s 9-4 in Oakland on Wednesday night.

While the entire 2020 regularseason schedule was played without fans, about 4,300 spectators will initially be allowed to attend games in Buffalo, with the possibility of that number increasing. Capacity is listed at 16,600.

Mariners hitless in Seattle

SEATTLE — John Means threw the major leagues’ third no-hitter this season and came within a wild pitch on a third strike of a perfect game, pitching the Baltimore Orioles over the Seattle Mariners 6-0 Wednesday.

Means (4-0) struck out

12 and walked none.