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MIAMI: Anibal Sanchez took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out a career-high 11 Sunday to help the Florida Marlins salvage the final game of their series against Washington, 8-0.
Washington’s first hit came on the 101st pitch from Sanchez, when Laynce Nix led off the seventh with a line single to right, just beyond the reach of a diving Mike Stanton .
Sanchez (2-1) allowed two hits and walked none in seven innings before departing after throwing 117 pitches on a sunny, 86-degree afternoon.
Gaby Sanchez, swinging a pink bat on Mother’s Day, hit a three-run homer, doubled twice, singled and scored three runs. Greg Dobbs also wielded a pink bat and had two RBI hits.
Livan Hernandez (3-4) allowed six runs in five innings.
Braves 5 Phillies 2: In Philadelphia, Jair Jurrjens pitched neatly into the seventh inning and Atlanta got home runs from Freddie Freeman, Alex Gonzalez and pinch-hitter Eric Hinske to beat Philadelphia.
Jurrjens (4-0) allowed one run and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings to outduel Cole Hamels. Jurrjens hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any start, and has a 1.50 ERA.
Hamels (4-2) gave up three runs and five hits, striking out nine in seven innings. Coming off a complete-game win over Washington, Hamels threw 92 pitches before being removed for a pinch hitter.
Jonny Venters pitched out of trouble after allowing a run in the eighth and Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth for his eighth save in 10 tries.
Reds 2 Cubs 0: In Chicago, Johnny Cueto was strong in his season debut Sunday, allowing five hits and pitching into the seventh for Cincinnati.
Drew Stubbs hit his sixth homer for the Reds and Cueto (1-0), who was activated off the disabled list before the game, won a pitcher’s duel with Ryan Dempster (1-4).
Four Reds’ relievers completed the shutout. Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Cueto began the season on the DL with irritation in his right biceps/triceps. He left Sunday’s outing after giving up Alfonso Soriano’s leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh. During his 102-pitch outing, he walked one and struck out four.
Giants 3 Rockies 0: In San Francisco, Ryan Vogelsong and two relievers combined on a three-hitter and the San Francisco Giants completed their first series sweep of the season.
Cody Ross homered and drove in all three runs to help the defending World Series champions beat the Rockies for the third straight day and pull within a game of the NL West leaders.
Vogelsong (2-0) was perfect through five innings and didn’t allow a hit until Chris Iannetta’s leadoff single in the sixth. The 33-year-old right-hander struck out four and walked one in 6 1-3 innings.
Cardinals 3 Brewers 1: In St. Louis, unbeaten Kyle McClellan worked into the ninth inning to become the NL’s third five-game winner and the Cardinals’ bullpen labored to get the final three outs.
Colby Rasmus had a two-run double and Tyler Greene matched his career best with three hits for the NL Central-leading Cardinals.
McClellan (5-0), the Cardinals’ former setup man, took a three-hit shutout into the ninth and left after Prince Fielder’s leadoff single.
The Brewers went on to load the bases with two outs and, down to their final strike, pinch-hitter Craig Counsell fouled off seven pitches with two strikes. The pesky Counsell ended a 13-pitch at-bat with an infield RBI single off Eduardo Sanchez .
Dodgers 4 Mets 2: In New York, Andre Ethier got back on track with a two-run homer, Clayton Kershaw struck out eight and struggling Los Angeles snapped a four-game losing streak.
Ethier also singled after going 0 for 4 on Saturday night to end his 30-game hitting streak.
Kershaw (4-3) gave up one run on six hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings to give the Dodgers a much-needed lift after they had lost six of seven.
Vicente Padilla gave up an RBI triple to Jose Reyes in the ninth before finishing for his fourth career save and second of the season.
R.A. ****ey (1-4) kept New York in the game with his baffling knuckleball, allowing only one unearned run before Ethier’s two-run shot in the seventh inning.
Pirates 5 Astros 4: In Pitttsburgh, Ryan Doumit hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Pirates improved to .500 this late in a season for the first time in six years.
Doumit’s drive to left off Fernando Abad (1-3) was his third homer of the season. The Pirates have won five of seven and are 17-17.
Pirates starter James McDonald pitched six impressive innings and left with a 2-0 lead. Reliever Chris Resop did not retire a batter and was charged with three runs in the seventh. The Astros added another run in the eighth before Doumit’s shot.
Padres 4 Diamondbacks 3: In San Diego, Jorge Cantu hit a three-run homer and Aaron Harang pitched seven solid innings to lead the Padres.
Cantu, hitting .184 coming into the game, homered in the first to cap a four-run burst.
The Padres, who were shut out for a major league-high eighth time Saturday night, came out swinging against Joe Saunders (0-4).
