Blue Jays' Gausman exits vs. Rangers with lower-back tightness after five no-hit innings

Kevin Gausman's day ended a lot earlier than many would've hoped on Thursday.

The Toronto Blue Jays starter was pulled from Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers after five innings of no-hit work due to lower-back tightness, the team announced.

Gausman had only allowed one baserunner in the game when he walked Rangers first basemen Nathaniel Lowe.

The right-hander threw 58 pitches and struck out six before leaving the game.

After the game, manager John Schneider told reporters that the righty is day-to-day.

Also speaking to reporters following the outing, Gausman said he was surprised that he took a no-hit bid into the fifth given how poor he felt physically.

"I really didn't think today was going to be a day I was going to throw a no-hitter," Gausman told reporters. "I don't know how I didn't give up hits, to be honest."

Reliever Dillon Tate made his Blue Jays debut when he came in to replace Gausman in the sixth and kept the no-hitter intact by setting down the Orioles in order.

Unfortunately, the Blue Jays' combined no-hit bid would be broken up in the seventh when Josh Smith singled off Genesis Cabrera. Smith would try and turn the hit into a double and was thrown out at second base off a great throw from Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes.