Nats’ Zimmerman tosses no-hitter
Tigers, Cards clinch Central Division titles
Nationals 1, Marlins 0: Jordan Zimmermann pitched the first no-hitter for the Washington Nationals, the gem preserved when defensive replacement Steven Souza Jr. made a diving catch in left field for the final out in a victory over visiting Miami in a regular-season finale yesterday.
Zimmermann (14-5) allowed only two base runners, finishing with 10 strikeouts and one walk in the fifth no-hitter in the majors this year.
It was the fifth time there has been a nohitter on the final day of the season. Last year, Henderson Alvarez of the Marlins threw one against Detroit to close the season — yesterday, he was Miami’s starting pitcher against Zimmermann.
The Nationals put a stirring end to a regular season in which they finished with the best record in the National League. Washington begins the playoffs at home on Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s wild-card game between host Pittsburgh and San Francisco.
There were four nohitters thrown by the Montreal Expos before the franchise moved to Washington before the 2005 season. Dennis Martinez did it in 1991, Charlie Lea pitched one in 1981 and Bill Stoneman threw Expos no-hitters in 1972 and 1969.
YESTERDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Tigers 3, Twins 0: David Price (15-12) pitched Detroit to its fourth straight American League Central title with the type of performance for which the Tigers acquired him, taking a shutout into the eighth inning of a victory over visiting Minnesota. Ian Kinsler hit a solo homer in the third, and the Tigers added two more runs in the eighth off Kyle Gibson (13-12).
The Tigers open an AL division series on Thursday night at the Baltimore Orioles. Cardinals 1, Diamondbacks 0: The St. Louis Cardinals clinched their second straight NL Central title before the first pitch, and closed out the regular season with a victory over host Arizona. The Cardinals celebrated the division title in the dugout minutes before the first pitch, when Cincinnati’s 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh was announced. St. Louis will open an NL division series on Friday at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Athletics 4, Rangers 0: Sonny Gray threw a sixhitter to win for the first time in five September starts, Josh Reddick had an RBI triple and Oakland clinched the AL’s second wild-card spot. The A’s play the win-orgo-home wild-card game on Tuesday night at Kansas City.