Major League Baseball teams probably don’t look forward to facing the eight-time All-Star, Cy Young Award-winning, MVP pitcher that is Justin Verlander. But the Rays were hit with that task Friday afternoon.
Tampa Bay and the Houston Astros met for Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Minute Maid Park with Verlander on the mound, and he did not disappoint.
The Astros ace threw seven innings of one-hit ball. Verlander did not give up a run and struck out eight to help give Houston a 6-2 win and take a 1-0 series lead.
After the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash had the perfect response to his team’s loss.
“We got Verlandered,” he said per MLB.com’s Alyson Footer.
Kevin Cash: “We got Verlandered.”
— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) October 4, 2019
Tampa Bay looks to tie the series at one game apiece Saturday night. First pitch is set for 9:07 p.m. ET.
