Jordan Zimmermann of the Washington Nationals has thrown a no-hitter against the Miami Marlins to put an exclamation point on the last day of the season. Ian Desmond hits a solo shot and that’s all Washington needed for a 1-0 victory. Taking a little bit of spotlight from the end of the Derek Jeter era, Zimmermann picked up his 14th win of the season in spectacular fashion. Only facing one batter over the minimum while allowing two walks (one runner got picked off at first), Zimmermann also tallied ten strikeouts on the day. The outing lowers his season ERA to an impressive 2.66 to finish the year. Henderson Alvarez, who threw a no-hitter on the final day of the season last year, took the tough luck loss after going seven innings and giving up one run. The Nationals will finish the season 96-66 and have clinched the top seed in the National League Playoffs. They will face the winner of the Wild Card game (San Francisco and Pittsburgh) starting next Friday. Every no-hitter needs a great defensive play to save it and this one is no exception. Steven Souza’s diving catch (below) in left field sealed the no-no for the last out of the game. Someone owes the man a steak dinner.
Zimmermann’s no-no is the 287th in Major League history, and the fourth of the year following efforts by Josh Beckett, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum and a cadre of Philadelphia Phillies (Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and Jonathan Paplebon). It is the first no-hitter thrown by the franchise since the Expos moved to Washington, and became the Nationals.
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Nicolas Stellini contributed to this article.
