Anibal Sanchez Fans 17 as Tigers Rout Braves, 10-0; Jordan Zimmermann Hurls One-Hitter in Nats' 1-0 Win over Reds

Players of the Day for Friday, April 26, 2013

American League

Sanchez: 17 Ks

The Atlanta Braves opened their three-game series in Detroit with the best record in baseball, at 15-6. After nine innings of domination by the Tigers, they learned a lesson in humility from the AL champions in a 10-0 defeat.

Anibal Sanchez worked over the Atlanta lineup, fanning a career-high 17, breaking the franchise record of 16 set by Mickey Lolich in 1968. Sanchez allowed five hits and walked one over eight innings of sensational pitching, getting Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla four times each on strikes. He fanned at least two in every inning except the fourth, when he got Freeman looking to open the inning and got the other two outs via a double play.

Sanchez improved to 3-1, the eight innings of shutout ball lowering his ERA to 1.34. His 41 strikeouts are third in the AL behind Yu Darvish (49) and Boston's Ryan Dempster (43).

The Tigers got a big effort from Manny Tuiasosopo, who singled in two runs in the third inning and socked a three-run homer in the fourth.

Atlanta will try to even the series at 1:10 pm EDT at Comerica Park. Sunday's series finale will be ESPN's featured Sunday night game at 8:00 pm EDT.

National League

Zimmermann: 1-hitter

With the Braves being pounded in Detroit, the Washington Nationals took the opportunity to pick up another game in the NL East with a 1-0 win over the Reds in the second game of their four-game series.

Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann came within a whisker of tossing the first no-hitter of the season, going the distance for his fourth win against just one loss. Zimmerman allowed just one hit - a leadoff single by Xavier Paul in the third inning. Only two other Reds' batters reached base. Todd Frazier reached on an error in the fifth and Corky Miller walked in the eighth.

Zimmermann needed just 91 pitches for his second complete game of the season and his first career shutout. He fanned four, got 11 batters on ground outs and 12 via fly balls.

The Nationals now trail Atlanta by 3 1/2 games in the division. The Mets, 4-0 losers to Philadelphia, are 4 1/2 out.

Washington has a 2-0 lead in the series, which concludes over the weekend with day games at Nationals Park, Saturday and Sunday.

NOTABLE: Sanchez and Zimmermann weren't the only pitchers hitting their marks Friday night. Baltimore's Wei-Yin Chen gave up just two hits over eight scoreless innings in the O's 3-0 win at Oakland. Phialdelphia's Kyle Kendrick threw a complete game three-hitter in the Phillies' 4-0 victory over the Mets.