Justin Verlander showcased his skills against his old team, the Detroit Tigers, while Kyle Tucker added a home run as the Houston Astros secured a 9-3 victory at Comerica Park on Sunday.
Verlander, with a record of 2-1, pitched seven innings without conceding a run, allowing only two hits and striking out eight batters. He now boasts 3,365 career strikeouts, trailing just behind Max Scherzer and Greg Maddux on the all-time list.
Mauricio Dubón stood out for Houston with four hits, while Jake Meyers, who didn’t enter the game until the seventh inning, contributed three hits and three RBIs.
Manager Joe Espada praised Dubón’s performance, emphasizing his effectiveness when he stays focused and swings at manageable pitches.
On the opposing side, Jack Flaherty received the loss, conceding three runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. Detroit’s bullpen struggled, allowing six runs on 11 hits in the final 2 1/3 innings.
Despite Flaherty’s efforts to contain Houston’s offense, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch acknowledged the challenge posed by Verlander’s pitching prowess, noting the difficulty in providing offensive support against such a formidable opponent.
Verlander held the Tigers hitless for the first 14 batters before Colt Keith managed to reach base with a slow grounder to shortstop, albeit getting thrown out trying to steal second base shortly after.
