Nationals’ Sanchez stymies Cards
Astros beat Rays, Yanks next
ST LOUIS, Oct 12, (Agencies): Anibal Sanchez held the St Louis Cardinals hitless for the first 7-2/3 innings as the Washington Nationals earned a 2-0 win Friday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
First baseman Ryan Zimmerman extended Sanchez’s no-hit bid in the eighth inning by diving to catch Tommy Edman’s leadoff line drive. Paul DeJong then flied out, but pinch-hitter Jose Martinez ended the no-hit effort – and Sanchez’s night – with a clean single to center.
“I just tried to keep the ball on the corners,” Sanchez said. “My twoseamer was really good today. I used it a lot.”
Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle got the final four outs, retiring all four batters he faced, to preserve the victory and earn the save.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Saturday, again at Busch Stadium.
Yan Gomes gave Sanchez a lead with an RBI double in the second inning, and Howie Kendrick added a run-scoring single in the seventh.
The Nationals needed a strong outing from Sanchez with their bullpen depleted and their other starters off limits for relief work – and they got it. Sanchez (1-0) yielded one hit and one walk while striking out five in 7-2/3 innings. He has allowed just one run on five hits in 12-2/3 innings in his two playoff starts.
“Sanchez was just really good tonight,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “Not a lot out there that we saw, that I saw, that was in the middle. Really changed speeds. Did a terrific job. He didn’t give us on a lot that we could get good swings on.
“This guy is an accomplished pitcher. He did a nice job against the Dodgers.”
Twice the Cardinals got a runner in scoring position against Sanchez, and twice he escaped without damage.
Kolten Wong drew a one-out walk in the fourth inning, stole second base with two outs and took third on catcher Gomes’ throwing error. Sanchez then got Marcell Ozuna to pop out.
Cardinals pinch hitter Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch with one out in the sixth inning, and he stole second. He went to third on a groundout, but Sanchez got Wong to fly out to end the threat.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of Sanchez, “He had a great tempo, good rhythm. He pounded the zone in and out, used all of his pitches effectively.
“He was huge. He picked us up big time.”
Miles Mikolas (0-1) held the Nationals to one run in six innings on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked two, one intentionally.
Kendrick, Zimmerman and Gomes each finished with two of the Nationals’ 10 hits.
Washington played without closer Daniel Hudson, who is on paternity leave. Reliever Wander Suero is filling in on the roster until Hudson returns – which the Nationals hope will be in time for Game 2.
Gerrit Cole pitched another playoff masterpiece and the Houston Astros jumped to a quick lead, turning back the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 Thursday night in Game 5 to set up a titanic showdown with the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series.
After fellow aces Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander were unable to close out the scrappy Rays on the road, Cole made sure Houston moved on. Given a 4-0 cushion in the first inning, he dominated through the eighth in the decisive game of the AL Division Series.
On deck, the heavyweight matchup so many fans wanted to see: Jose Altuve and the 107-win Astros against Aaron Judge and the 103-win Yankees. Game 1 is Saturday night in Houston – the Astros won four of seven meetings this season.
Michael Brantley and Altuve put the finishing touches on this victory, hitting back-to-back home runs in the eighth. The Astros advanced to their third straight ALCS, and are aiming for their second World Series crown in that span.
Houston beat the Yankees in a seven-game ALCS on the way to its first championship in 2017. The Astros also won the 2015 AL wild-card game at Yankee Stadium.
Washington Nationals’ Howie Kendrick reacts after his double during the second inning of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series baseball game against the St Louis Cardinals on Oct 11 in St
Louis. (AP)