WASHINGTON (AP) — Justin Verlander allowed two runs and four hits over six innings to win his season debut for the Houston Astros, 5-3 over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
The 41-year-old right-hander, who began the season on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, struck out four and walked none, throwing 50 of 78 pitches for strikes in his 258th win.
“He looked really good,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “Efficient, threw a ton of strikes.”
Verlander (1-0) averaged 94.3 mph with 35 four-seam fastballs and induced five groundouts. The nine-time All-Star retired the side in order four times and improved to 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five regular-season starts against the Nationals.
Ildemaro Vargas hit an RBI single in the third and Riley Adams homered in the fourth, cutting Washington’s deficit to 4-2.
Verlander had made a pair of minor league injury rehabilitation starts.
Musician T Bone Burnett is trading his dystopian sensibilities for some warm
Stock market today: Japan’s Nikkei leads Asian market retreat as Middle East tensions flare
AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean
A politician running for mayor in northern Mexico is killed, the 16th hopeful slain over June vote
Virginia fathers narrowly avoid being crushed while sitting by backyard fire pit
Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities
Virginia fathers narrowly avoid being crushed while sitting by backyard fire pit
Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in Alaska
JoJo Siwa fans are left stunned to discover that the platinum blonde 20