SANCHEZ LOSES NO-NO IN 8TH IN NATS’ VICTORY
ST. LOUIS — It turns out the Nationals’ Big Three is a Big Four. Don’t forget about Anibal Sanchez.
Sanchez carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, Howie Kendrick scored one run and drove in another and the Nationals beat the Cardinals 2-0 on Friday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Sanchez had allowed only three baserunners — a walk and two hit batsmen — when he took the mound for the eighth. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman robbed Tommy Edman with an outstanding diving grab for the first out, but pinch hitter Jose Martinez singled cleanly to center field with two outs for the Cardinals’ first hit.
Sean Doolittle relieved and got four consecutive outs to finish the one-hitter for his first postseason save in two years.
Sanchez and Doolittle made life easy on manager Dave Martinez on a chilly night in which the franchise was making its first appearance in the NLCS since the Expos moved from Montreal to Washington and became the Nationals ahead of the 2005 season.
‘‘I don’t claim to be superstitious, but when you’ve got a no-hitter — I was freezing my butt off and didn’t want to put a jacket on,’’ Martinez said. ‘‘I stayed with this, just this sweatshirt, the whole game.’’
Game 2 is set for Saturday at Busch Stadium. Nationals righthander Max Scherzer will start in his hometown against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.
‘‘People were talking about the Big Three,’’ Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said of a Nationals rotation that features Scherzer, right-hander Stephen Strasburg and left-hander Patrick Corbin. ‘‘But we got a guy tonight that we’ve got to contend with and not overlook him.’’
The Nationals scored each of their runs with two outs. Kendrick doubled and scored on a double by Yan Gomes in the second. He then singled in Adam Eaton after Eaton had reached on a one-out triple in the seventh.
Sanchez became the first pitcher to start two postseason games with six hitless innings. Facing the Red Sox for the Tigers in Game 1 of the 2013 American League Championship Series, he was replaced by Al Alburquerque at the start of the seventh. The Tigers won 1-0, allowing their only hit when Daniel Nava singled off Joaquin Benoit with one out in the ninth. ✶