Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Anibal Sanchez, along with four Detroit relievers, came within two outs of notching the first combined no-hitter in postseason history.
They'd have to settle for a one-hit shutout and a 1-0 lead over the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series.
Jhonny Peralta plated the game's only run in the sixth, while Sanchez, Al Alburquerque, Jose Veras, Drew Smyly and Joaquin Benoit racked up a franchise- record 17 strikeouts en route to Saturday's 1-0 victory in Game 1 from Fenway Park.
Sanchez (1-0) struck out 12 over six hitless frames, but issued a season-high six walks and was lifted to start the seventh after throwing 116 pitches.
The trio of Alburquerque, Veras and Smyly kept the no-hitter intact over the next two frames before Benoit took over to start the ninth.
The hard-throwing right-hander struck out Mike Napoli to open the final frame, but Daniel Nava punched a single into shallow center field, giving Boston its first hit of the night.
Benoit quickly bounced back, getting Stephen Drew to fly out sharply to right- center field before inducing an infield popout from Xander Bogaerts to secure the save, and more importantly the victory, for the Tigers.
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