Tigers' Sanchez tossing no-hitter through 7 innings vs. 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, could also record his second career no-hitter Friday night, with the Blue Jays once again on the unenviable side of history.

Sanchez, who hurled a no-hitter in 2006 during his tenure with the (then) Florida Marlins, remains just six outs away from recording the eighth no-hitter in Tigers history. The 31-year-old right-hander has allowed just two baserunners - he walked both Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista - through seven masterful innings, recording five strikeouts while throwing 57 of his 90 pitches for strikes.

Should he record six more outs without allowing a hit, Sanchez will join an 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.