Sanchez loses no-hitter in 8th; Tigers survive late surge from Blue Jays

About four years ago, as he marched towards an eventual Cy Young and MVP award, Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander didn't allow a hit over nine sublime innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, lifting his team to a 9-0 victory with the second no-hitter of his career.

Anibal Sanchez, meanwhile, came within five outs of his second career no-hitter Friday night at Comerica Park, with the Blue Jays once again on the unenviable side of history.

Sanchez, who hurled a no-hitter as a rookie in 2006 during his tenure with the (then) Florida Marlins, recorded 22 outs without allowing a hit in Friday's series opener before Ezequiel Carrera spoiled his bid for history with a single to left field in the top of the eighth.

Before losing his no-hitter, Sanchez allowed three baserunners - he walked Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, and Justin Smoak - while collecting five strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings. The 31-year-old was lifted shortly after Carrera's single, though, allowing subsequent singles to Devon Travis and Ryan Goins before yielding to reliever Alex Wilson, the Tigers leading 8-1.

The Tigers nearly squandered Sanchez's outing, incidentally, as the club's much maligned relief corps allowed another five runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the eighth (three of which were charged to the starter) before escaping with an 8-6 victory.

Had he successfully navigated nine hitless innings, Sanchez would've joined a pretty exclusive group. Only 32 pitchers in MLB history have tossed multiple no-hitters, the most recent being Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, who recorded the second no-no of his career June 25, 2014 against the San Diego Padres.