The Washington Nationals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on Friday night in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series without the assistance of co-aces Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
Both pitchers were unavailable after helping Washington defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in a hotly contested five-game division series tussle.
Instead, the Nats handed the ball to veteran Anibal Sanchez, and the 35-year-old right-hander exceeded their wildest expectations.
Through seven innings, Sanchez held the Cardinals hitless. In the eighth, he recorded two outs, including one on an impressive diving catch by veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman.