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MIAMI GARDENS - That he hasn't allowed a run in 21 1/3 innings at Land Shark Stadium doesn't have much, if anything, to do with the venue.
Brian Sanches has pitched well everywhere.
No reliever in history has put together a longer single-season scoreless streak at home. The only starters that have done it are Dontrelle Willis, who had a franchise-best 31-inning run in 2003 and added a 23-inning stretch two seasons later, and A.J. Burnett, who tossed 26 scoreless in 2005.
"I just think it's more experience," Sanches said. "I don't think I've pitched bad the previous stints in the big leagues. It's just my bad outings were really bad and it was a lack of consistency overall. Now I'm really trying to focus on being aggressive and not get locked up in big pitch counts and a lot of pitches per at-bat."
The numbers bear that out. Sanches is averaging 3.87 pitches per batter, compared to 4.30 in 2008. He began the season with a 4.16 career average.
Sanches appeared in the majors in each of the past three seasons, totaling 42 appearances and a 6.13 ERA for the Phillies (2006-07) and Nationals (2008). He didn't finish any of those seasons with an ERA lower than 5.52.
The third National League East team was the charm for Sanches, who has given up more than one run in an outing once (two on June 26 at Tampa).
He points to a more polished slider and split-fingered fastball as primary reasons for the 1.10 ERA and .210 opponents' batting average.
Brian Sanches has pitched well everywhere.
No reliever in history has put together a longer single-season scoreless streak at home. The only starters that have done it are Dontrelle Willis, who had a franchise-best 31-inning run in 2003 and added a 23-inning stretch two seasons later, and A.J. Burnett, who tossed 26 scoreless in 2005.
"I just think it's more experience," Sanches said. "I don't think I've pitched bad the previous stints in the big leagues. It's just my bad outings were really bad and it was a lack of consistency overall. Now I'm really trying to focus on being aggressive and not get locked up in big pitch counts and a lot of pitches per at-bat."
The numbers bear that out. Sanches is averaging 3.87 pitches per batter, compared to 4.30 in 2008. He began the season with a 4.16 career average.
Sanches appeared in the majors in each of the past three seasons, totaling 42 appearances and a 6.13 ERA for the Phillies (2006-07) and Nationals (2008). He didn't finish any of those seasons with an ERA lower than 5.52.
The third National League East team was the charm for Sanches, who has given up more than one run in an outing once (two on June 26 at Tampa).
He points to a more polished slider and split-fingered fastball as primary reasons for the 1.10 ERA and .210 opponents' batting average.
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