Tigers nip Red Sox; Cards win anew
BOSTON—Detroit came out on top of a pitchers’ duel to beat Boston, 1-0, in Saturday’s opening game of the American League Championship Series.
Tigers’ starter Anibal Sanchez and four relievers came within two outs of the first combined no-hitter in postseason history, striking out 17.
Boston was hitless until Daniel Nava singled off Joaquin Benoit with one out in the ninth.
After a second out and, with the potential tying run on second base, Xander Bogaerts hit a game-ending popout to shortstop.
Jhonny Peralta had an RBI single off Jon Lester in the sixth for the game’s only run.
Meanwhile, St. Louis rookie Michael Wacha pitched into the seventh inning with zero margin for error as the Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1-0, to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
The Cardinals managed only two hits but Jon Jay’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning was enough to take victory.
After losing the opener in 13 innings on Friday, the Dodgers have now gone 19 innings without scoring. St. Louis rookie Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side in the ninth, fanning Andre Ethier on three pitches to end it.
Game 3 is Monday at Dodger Stadium, with Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright facing Dodgers rookie Ryu Hyun-jin.
Peralta, who missed most of August and September while serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug rules, was taunted with chants of “Steroids!” and “User!” as he looped a single to center to bring home Miguel Cabrera.
Sanchez struck out 12—including a recordtying four in the first inning—but also walked a season-high six and was pulled after six innings and 116 pitches. Al Alburquerque, Jose Veras, Drew Smyly and Benoit stretched the no-hitter into the ninth before Nava ended the no-hitter bid.