On an overcast Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park, Anibal Sanchez shut out the Nationals through eight innings, and one big swing from Mike Stanton provided all the offense the Marlins needed in their 1-0 series win over Washington.
It was all about pitching for the majority of the game as Anibal tossed eight scoreless frames, and allowed just three hits, walked two, and struck out nine.
Livan Hernandez was on the hill for Washington, and nearly matched Sanchy inning for inning, shutting out the Fish through 6 2/3 before Stanton went deep to put the Marlins on the board. After Gaby Sanchez grounded out to lead off the inning, Logan Morrison singled, but was caught stealing for the second out of the frame. Stanton resumed his at-bat with a deep home run to left center, and the Marlins took the 1-0 lead.
Livan would leave the game after seven 1-run innings in which he allowed six hits and struck out 4.
While the majority of the lineup struggled against Livan and the Nats bullpen, LoMo and Greg Dobbs went 2-4, while Stanton was 1-3 with a walk.
That was all the offense the Fish could muster, but with the Marlins pitching, it was enough. After Anibal finished the eighth, Leo Nunez came on to try and hold a one-run lead for the second game in a row.
He didn't make it look easy.
Leo walked Jayson Werth to lead off the bottom of the ninth, and gave up a single to Laynce Nix to put two on with nobody out. After Adam LaRoche grounded out, and Wilson Ramos popped out, it all came down to Jerry Hairston Jr., naturally. But Hairston took the day off from terrorizing the Fish, and flied out to left to end the the game and secure the Marlins second straight one-run victory.
He may do it with loads of heart-stopping drama, but Leo now leads the Majors with 14 saves.