WASHINGTON (AP) – Jake Peavy took a no-hitter into the fifth inning to outpitch playoff rookie Stephen Strasburg, and the San Francisco Giants won their ninth consecutive postseason game by beating the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Friday in an NL Division Series opener.
The intense Peavy won the 2007 Cy Young Award but never has been much of an October performer, going 0-3 with a 9.27 ERA in five previous starts. But maybe the Giants’ aura rubbed off on him, because the 33-year-old right-hander threw 5 2-3 scoreless innings in Game 1, allowing only two hits.
Buster Posey, Joe Panik and Brandon Belt drove in San Francisco’s runs.
Game 2 is Saturday, with Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann – who threw a no-hitter in the regular-season finale – facing Tim Hudson.