Just days after Minnesota Twins starter Francisco Liriano hurled a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox, Tigers ace Justin Verlander repeated the feat in a 9-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The right-hander was on fire, mixing a fastball that topped the radar gun at over 100 MPH with breaking balls that hand-cuffed the Blue Jays all afternoon.
Verlander became just the 30th player in MLB history to pitch two no-nos with this one being just one walk away from a perfect game. That walk came in the 8th inning when rookie J.P. Arencibia won a 12-pitch battle at the plate that ended with umpire Jerry Meals calling a 3-2 pitch barely outside.
“I knew it was just a hair outside and it was,” said Verlander. “It was a ball and you’ve got to give Jerry a ‘Good job’. He called it a ball and it was.”
What’s with these Tigers showing so much love to these umpires after missing perfect games?
Last season Tigers starter Armando Galarraga was robbed of a perfect gem when umpire Jim Joyce botched an obvious call at the end a game earning him our Bitch Slap of the Week.
Verlander (3-3) looked like he was having more fun than succumbing to the stress in the final inning when he smiled throughout his final three outs. J.V. who had 12 K’s in his first no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12 , 2007 finished this one with four when he struck out Rajai Davis for the game’s final out.
IN all J.V. threw 108 pitches (74 strikes) against the Blue Jays who were missing their anchor Jose Bautista.
MLB Box Score here.
Used with permission of the author.
Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.
Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC