No-no is a yes-yes for rookie

MIAMI -- In this year of sensational rookies, Anibal Sanchez cameup with the greatest performance yet -- a no-hitter in his 13thcareer start.

Sanchez ended the longest no-hit gap in major league historyWednesday night, benefiting from three defensive gems by teammates tolead the Florida Marlins over the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0.

"This is the best moment of my life," the 22-year-old Venezuelansaid.

One of four rookies in the Marlins' rotation, Sanchez (7-2) walkedfour and pitched around an error. He struck out six and threw 103pitches.

He finished it off in quick fashion in the ninth. Sanchez struckout Conor Jackson swinging on a 1-2 pitch, got Luis Gonzalez to popout to third, then retired Eric Byrnes on a sharp grounder toshortstop Hanley Ramirez, whose throw to first easily beat therunner.

"The last ground ball, I wasn't going to flub that," Ramirez said."It wasn't going to get past me."

The Marlins poured out of the dugout en masse and swarmed aroundSanchez, with the jubilant mob collectively hopping as one betweenthe mound and third base.

Sanchez' teammates then hoisted him on their shoulders as hepointed his fingers and thrust his fists to the crowd, where his wifewas in stands.

"She was there," Sanchez said, his eyes wet with tears of joy. "Idon't know, I can't say any more. I love her, I love my family."

The previous no-hitter in the majors was a perfect game byArizona's Randy Johnson, who beat Atlanta 2-0 on May 18, 2004. Theprior no-hitter by a rookie was by Bud Smith of St. Louis, who beatSan Diego 4-0 on Sept. 1, 2001.

The Diamondbacks came close to a hit several times. Florida leftfielder Josh Willingham sprinted in to make a diving catch and robChad Tracy with two on to end the fourth. Ramirez ranged to his leftto snare a grounder by Stephen Drew in the seventh, then whirled andthrew to beat the runner by half a step.

Sanchez greeted Ramirez coming off the field with a high-five anda slap on the rear. Ramirez repaid the favor after making the lastout, smashing a shaving-cream filled towel in Sanchez' face as hespoke to the television cameras.

"Maybe I'll have to shave after the game," Sanchez quipped.

Then he switched to Spanish, acknowledging his family inVenezuela.

A rare 4-3-6 double play ended the eighth. With Craig Counsell atfirst, Orlando Hudson hit a grounder to second baseman Dan Uggla, whomissed a swipe at Counsell and threw to first. First baseman MikeJacobs' relay to second retired Counsell.

The hardest-hit ball was in the sixth by Byrnes, who pulled a linedrive that third baseman Miguel Cabrera reached up to snare with twohands.

Arizona's Carlos Quentin hit a sharp grounder down the line in thefifth. Cabrera made a backhanded stop on one knee, then rose andthrew wide, pulling Jacobs off the bag.

Official scorer Ron Jernick charged Cabrera with an error,prompting cheers from the small crowd. The Marlins are next-to-lastin the NL in defense. -->

Sanchez is not considered one of the Marlins' half-dozencontenders for NL Rookie of the Year, but he improved his ERA as astarter to 2.28.Sanchez is not considered one of the Marlins' half-dozen contenders for NL Rookie of the Year, but he improved his ERAas a starter to 2.28. The right-hander is one of 21 rookies to playthis season for the Marlins, the youngest team in the major leagues.

Announced attendance was 12,561, but the actual crowd was perhapshalf that. The surprising Marlins are last in the major leagues inattendance even though they began the night only three games behindSan Diego in the NL wild-card race.

The Diamondbacks have lost seven of their past eight games and 15of 19 to fade from the playoff race.

Joe Borchard and Miguel Cabrera hit solo homers for Florida.

Sanchez retired the first 10 batters, then fell behind Jackson 3-0 and walked him on a 3-2 pitch. He then walked Gonzalez on fourpitches, but Byrnes lined out, and Willingham's skidding catch inleft ended the inning.

Gonzalez walked again on four pitches before Byrnes again linedout to end the sixth.

Sanchez's longest previous start was seven innings. He walkedpinch-hitter Counsell on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the eighth, butthe double play ended the inning.

Arizona's Edgar Gonzalez (1-2), recalled from Triple-A Tucson tomake his third start of season, pitched six-plus innings and allowedfive hits and two runs, both on homers.

Borchard hit his ninth home run in the second inning to tie acareer high. Cabrera hit his 24th homer in the fourth.

The no-hitter was the fourth in the Marlins' 14-season history,and the first since A.J. Burnett threw one against San Diego on May12, 2001. The only other pitcher to no-hit the Diamondbacks was JoseJimenez of St. Louis, who beat Arizona 1-0 on June 25, 1999.

Florida acquired Sanchez last November in the trade that sent JoshBeckett and Mike Lowell to the Boston Red Sox. He went 3-6 thisseason for Double-A Carolina before joining the Marlins, and on June25 became the second starting pitcher in 10 seasons to win his major-league debut as a visitor at Yankee Stadium.

As memorable as that day may have been, it will forever pale incomparison.

"I'm going to remember this," Sanchez said, "every morning, everyday."

No-no is a yes-yes for rookie

MIAMI -- In this year of sensational rookies, Anibal Sanchez cameup with the greatest performance yet -- a no-hitter in his 13thcareer start.

Sanchez ended the longest no-hit gap in major league historyWednesday night, benefiting from three defensive gems by teammates tolead the Florida Marlins over the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0.

"This is the best moment of my life," the 22-year-old Venezuelansaid.

One of four rookies in the Marlins' rotation, Sanchez (7-2) walkedfour and pitched around an error. He struck out six and threw 103pitches.

He finished it off in quick fashion in the ninth. Sanchez struckout Conor Jackson swinging on a 1-2 pitch, got Luis Gonzalez to popout to third, then retired Eric Byrnes on a sharp grounder toshortstop Hanley Ramirez, whose throw to first easily beat therunner.

"The last ground ball, I wasn't going to flub that," Ramirez said."It wasn't going to get past me."

The Marlins poured out of the dugout en masse and swarmed aroundSanchez, with the jubilant mob collectively hopping as one betweenthe mound and third base.

Sanchez' teammates then hoisted him on their shoulders as hepointed his fingers and thrust his fists to the crowd, where his wifewas in stands.

"She was there," Sanchez said, his eyes wet with tears of joy. "Idon't know, I can't say any more. I love her, I love my family."

The previous no-hitter in the majors was a perfect game byArizona's Randy Johnson, who beat Atlanta 2-0 on May 18, 2004. Theprior no-hitter by a rookie was by Bud Smith of St. Louis, who beatSan Diego 4-0 on Sept. 1, 2001.

The Diamondbacks came close to a hit several times. Florida leftfielder Josh Willingham sprinted in to make a diving catch and robChad Tracy with two on to end the fourth. Ramirez ranged to his leftto snare a grounder by Stephen Drew in the seventh, then whirled andthrew to beat the runner by half a step.

Sanchez greeted Ramirez coming off the field with a high-five anda slap on the rear. Ramirez repaid the favor after making the lastout, smashing a shaving-cream filled towel in Sanchez' face as hespoke to the television cameras.

"Maybe I'll have to shave after the game," Sanchez quipped.

Then he switched to Spanish, acknowledging his family inVenezuela.

A rare 4-3-6 double play ended the eighth. With Craig Counsell atfirst, Orlando Hudson hit a grounder to second baseman Dan Uggla, whomissed a swipe at Counsell and threw to first. First baseman MikeJacobs' relay to second retired Counsell.

The hardest-hit ball was in the sixth by Byrnes, who pulled a linedrive that third baseman Miguel Cabrera reached up to snare with twohands.

Arizona's Carlos Quentin hit a sharp grounder down the line in thefifth. Cabrera made a backhanded stop on one knee, then rose andthrew wide, pulling Jacobs off the bag.

Official scorer Ron Jernick charged Cabrera with an error,prompting cheers from the small crowd. The Marlins are next-to-lastin the NL in defense. -->

Sanchez is not considered one of the Marlins' half-dozencontenders for NL Rookie of the Year, but he improved his ERA as astarter to 2.28.Sanchez is not considered one of the Marlins' half-dozen contenders for NL Rookie of the Year, but he improved his ERAas a starter to 2.28. The right-hander is one of 21 rookies to playthis season for the Marlins, the youngest team in the major leagues.

Announced attendance was 12,561, but the actual crowd was perhapshalf that. The surprising Marlins are last in the major leagues inattendance even though they began the night only three games behindSan Diego in the NL wild-card race.

The Diamondbacks have lost seven of their past eight games and 15of 19 to fade from the playoff race.

Joe Borchard and Miguel Cabrera hit solo homers for Florida.

Sanchez retired the first 10 batters, then fell behind Jackson 3-0 and walked him on a 3-2 pitch. He then walked Gonzalez on fourpitches, but Byrnes lined out, and Willingham's skidding catch inleft ended the inning.

Gonzalez walked again on four pitches before Byrnes again linedout to end the sixth.

Sanchez's longest previous start was seven innings. He walkedpinch-hitter Counsell on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the eighth, butthe double play ended the inning.

Arizona's Edgar Gonzalez (1-2), recalled from Triple-A Tucson tomake his third start of season, pitched six-plus innings and allowedfive hits and two runs, both on homers.

Borchard hit his ninth home run in the second inning to tie acareer high. Cabrera hit his 24th homer in the fourth.

The no-hitter was the fourth in the Marlins' 14-season history,and the first since A.J. Burnett threw one against San Diego on May12, 2001. The only other pitcher to no-hit the Diamondbacks was JoseJimenez of St. Louis, who beat Arizona 1-0 on June 25, 1999.

Florida acquired Sanchez last November in the trade that sent JoshBeckett and Mike Lowell to the Boston Red Sox. He went 3-6 thisseason for Double-A Carolina before joining the Marlins, and on June25 became the second starting pitcher in 10 seasons to win his major-league debut as a visitor at Yankee Stadium.

As memorable as that day may have been, it will forever pale incomparison.

"I'm going to remember this," Sanchez said, "every morning, everyday."