Three key ingredients combine for Sanchez's improbable no-hitter

It takes unique circumstances to see a no-hitter. A pitcher on top of his game, of course. A good measure of luck. An opponent with an anemic lineup helps, too.

That all came together for Jonathan Sanchez in the first no-hitter of 2009 on Friday night in San Francisco. The Giants' pitcher, who had been banished to the bullpen after a 2-8 start and was only on the mound because Randy Johnson is injured, mesmerized the San Diego Padres with a slider that bordered on unhittable.

Sanchez, 26, also didn't walk anybody in the 8-0 win, but an error by Juan Uribe at third base in the eighth kept Sanchez's gem from being a perfect game. And it was a no-doubt error, a simple misplayed ground ball.

Aaron Rowand saved the day with a jumping catch in the ninth against the wall on the 26th out, a shot by pinch-hitter Edgar Gonzalez that was very close to being an extra-base hit. Sanchez struck out Everth Cabrera - his 11th K - to end it on another one of those wicked sliders on the outside corner.

Sanchez's father was visiting from Puerto Rico, and had never seen his son start a big-league game before. He spent the ninth inning nervously on his feet, talking on a cell phone.

There were a lot of other firsts as well - the first no-hitter at AT&T Park, the first by a Giants pitcher since 1977 (John Montefusco), the first in 19 years without a walk, but with an error (Terry Mulholland, 1990).

And then there's the other side - the entire San Diego team is slumping. The Padres have gone hitless in 18 of their past 19 innings, as Giants ace Tim Lincecum took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Thursday. Padres pitchers have never thrown a no-hitter, but have been no-hit seven times in their history, which dates to 1969.