In a day marked by rain at Truist Park, Justin Verlander finally broke his winless streak with the San Francisco Giants, taking his first victory of the season.
Verlander, 42 years old, faced uncertainty when the rain threatened to suspend the game in the fifth inning. With three outs still to get to secure his long-awaited victory, the pitcher remained firm, allowing only one hit and overcoming five walks to complete five scoreless innings.
Verlander’s triumph marked his first victory since September 28th and the 263rd of his career. Rafael Devers, who had an outstanding performance with three hits, including two home runs, driving in four runs, was also key in the victory. The victory not only represented a personal triumph for Verlander, but also secured the series for the Giants, who surpassed the Braves with a combined score of 18-3 in the last two games. Matt Chapman highlighted the importance of the victory to keep hopes alive in the division. Verlander had a difficult start to the season, with a 16-start winless streak, the longest for a Giants pitcher in a single season. The pitcher signed a one-year, $15 million contract with San Francisco in January and missed a month due to a strain in his right pectoral muscle. In the first inning, Verlander needed 40 pitches to overcome difficulties, tying his third-highest pitch count in a starting inning of his career. Giants manager Bob Melvin acknowledged the importance of this first win for Verlander. In the seventh episode, Matt Chapman was hit in the left elbow by a pitch, but the X-rays were negative.“It’s incredible. We wanted so much to get him that first win.”
Matt Chapman
