Verlander Shines with 10 Strikeouts in Giants Victory
Justin Verlander has had a difficult season in terms of wins, but on Sunday he proved his worth on the mound. The 42-year-old pitcher threw five scoreless innings, striking out 10 batters, which significantly contributed to the San Francisco Giants’ victory over the Baltimore Orioles with a score of 13-2. With the Giants leading 7-0 in the fifth inning, the team decided to keep Verlander in the game, despite the high pitch count. He finally managed to finish the top of that inning by striking out Gunnar Henderson and Ryan Mountcastle, which allowed him to get his third win of the season. This victory represents the number 265 in Verlander’s career.Verlander’s 121-pitch count was the second-highest in Major League Baseball this season. Despite his 3-10 record, Verlander lowered his ERA to 4.29 on Sunday and reached double digits in strikeouts for the 73rd time in his career. He allowed three hits and four walks.“On a day when you feel like you’re penalizing someone if they throw 100 pitches, to throw 120 in five innings, he didn’t want to hear anything about coming out of the game. There’s a lot to learn from him,” manager Bob Melvin commented.
Bob Melvin
Verlander, who joined the Giants in the offseason, was winless in his first 16 starts. However, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has won two consecutive starts, including a win against the Chicago Cubs. This was his first game with 10 strikeouts since August 23, 2022, when he played for Houston. The last time he threw so many pitches was on June 19, 2018, when he threw 122 for the Astros against Tampa Bay.“It’s difficult for me because, especially the old school in me, it’s only five innings. I’m not sure I go home and say that was a great start. At the end of the day, I think they did a great job battling against good pitches and fouling things off,” Verlander said.
Justin Verlander
