Sanchez strikes out four in top of the first inning

Anibal Sanchez pulled off a rare feat in the bottom of the first, striking out four batters against the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALCS.

Sanchez punched out Jacoby Ellsbury looking, then Shane Victorino struck out on a pitch in the dirt. Alex Avila, however, couldn't handle the pitch and Victorino reached base on a dropped third strike.

Dustin Pedroia followed with a walk, putting two runners on for David Ortiz. Ortiz worked a 3-2 count, but was called out after he could not hold up on the check swing. The designated hitter disagreed with the call, but his bat appeared to go just a little too far over the plate:

Mike Napoli struck out swinging, stranding two runners. Sanchez is only the second pitcher in MLB postseason history to strike out four in the first inning, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI. The other pitcher to strikeout four was Orval Overall, who recorded four strikeouts in Game 5 of the World Series in 1908.