Bitter Pill
Congrat to Anibal Sanchez for pitching a no-hitter tonight. Sanchez was a throw in in the Beckett/Lowell trade last fall. So it's nice to see all the players we gave up doing better than the ones we got in return. Just a side-note if you saw the last out of the game, the runner was very safe, I understand it's a no-hitter in progress, but If you saw it live and saw the replay you saw Sanchez get a gift. Pretty gutless on the umps part, especially since that last out will be shown over and over again.
Sanchez tosses no-hitter vs. D-Backs
Right-hander pitches fourth no-no in team history
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com |
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Marlins rookie Anibal Sanchez is hoisted by his teammates after his no-hitter. (Wilfredo Lee/AP) ADVERTISEMENT
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MIAMI -- Major League start No. 13 certainly proved lucky for Anibal Sanchez.
The 22-year-old rookie etched his place in baseball history on Wednesday night by tossing the fourth no-hitter in Marlins history.
Called up from Double-A on June 25, Sanchez made his mark in his 13th big league start, silencing the Diamondbacks, 2-0, in front of 12,561 at Dolphin Stadium.
In an improbable season for the rookie-laden Marlins, Sanchez pitched the first no-hitter in the league since Randy Johnson's perfect game in 2004. Then with Arizona, the Big Unit overwhelmed the Braves on May 18.
In the organization's 14th season, the Marlins surprisingly have four no-hitters. The last was turned in by A.J. Burnett against the Padres at San Diego on May 12, 2001. Al Leiter (May 11, 1996 vs. Colorado) and Kevin Brown (Sept. 22, 1996 at San Francisco) turned in the other gems.
The Diamondbacks have now been no-hit twice in their history. The other was Jose Jimenez of St. Louis, on June 25, 1999.
Acquired from the Red Sox as part of the Josh Beckett/Mike Lowell trade last Thanksgiving, Sanchez (7-2) has won three straight decisions. He's already turned in some marvelous outings, including beating Atlanta on July 25, when he gave up one hit in seven innings.
A low-key native of Maracay, Venezuela, Sanchez opened the season in Double-A, but he's been a big addition to a young staff. The right-hander went into the ninth inning having thrown 93 pitches.
Sanchez struck out Conor Jackson to open the ninth. And after Luis Gonzalez popped out to Miguel Cabrera at third, the crowd was on its feet, as Eric Byrnes swatted Sanchez's 103rd pitch to shortstop. Hanley Ramirez fielded it cleaning, and his throw to Wes Helms at first sent the Marlins into hysteria, as they mobbed Sanchez on the field.
Breezing through the first inning on eight pitches, Sanchez retired the first 10 Diamondbacks before issuing a walk to Jackson. Gonzalez then walked on four pitches, but Sanchez got through the inning, thanks to a spectacular sliding catch by Josh Willingham in left field. Willingham charged Chad Tracy's sinking liner, and went airborne for the final out.
The next baserunner allowed by Sanchez was in the fifth, when Carlos Quentin reached on a throwing error by Cabrera. While Cabrera made a nice backhanded stab at third, his throw was high, pulling first baseman Mike Jacobs off the base.
The no-hitter remained intact in the seventh inning, when Ramirez made a brilliant play going up the middle, robbing Stephen Drew. The rookie shortstop nabbed the grounder earmarked for center field, and his throw beat Drew by a half-step.
More heads-up defense got Sanchez through the eighth inning. With one out, pinch-hitter Craig Counsell drew a one-out walk. But Sanchez got Orlando Hudson to bounce into a double play. The defensive gem was started by Dan Uggla at second. Uggla attempted to tag out Counsell, who retreated toward first. So Uggla threw to first to get Hudson. Jacobs then threw to second, where Ramirez applied the tag on Counsell.
Cabrera blasted a 432-foot home run to open the fourth inning, making it 2-0.
Joe Borchard's ninth home run gave the Marlins the lead in the second inning. It was the switch-hitter's eighth blast from the left side. The nine home runs equal his season high, initially set in 2004 while he was with the White Sox.
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Congrats to Sanchez, I saw the first two outs then had to leave my computer for a sec to see the team celebrating. That kinda stinks if the last call was blown, but baseball is funny that way. I was hoping Randall would do the same, but alas the Royals bats are too much for him, but we cruised to the win.
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It looked close to me, and they didn't show the play at first after the game, just the hit and Sanchez' reaction. I don't think that the umps were going to give a close call to the runner to blow a no-hitter on an infield single with two out in the 9th. Too bad Byrnesie could not have made the shortstop move to his right a couple of steps, so as to make the play obvious. Or better yet, just line the pitch into left center.
I know Sanchez was worried about Byrnes. He was starting to tell the post-game interviewer that when his stupid teammate interrupted the interview by putting shaving cream in his face. The interviewer tried to get him to talk about the last out again, but instead he started talking in Spanish, saying thank you to his loved ones and God, and saying this was for all of Venezuela.
But it goes to sow you that Byrnesie never gives up, no matter what the situation, which is why I am such a big fan of his. Doubtless, there are other players in at situation who would not have run so hard.
Kellia
Life, Baseball & Eric Byrnes
http://byrnesblog.mlblogs.com
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He was out easily, Sanchez is awesome, too bad Sox traded him and HanRam!
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Out or safe, no matter, does anyone really want to see a no hitter broken up after 8 2/3 due to an infield hit that is only an infield hit because a rookie SS took an extra second to make a good throw given it would be the last out in a no hitter? Good call by the ump if he was safe, it looked close, didnt see the replay.
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