With the seven shutout innings he threw Friday night against the New York Yankees, Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander almost single-handedly kept his team alive in the postseason.
The veteran ace etched his name further into baseball lore with the sterling outing.
This is Justin Verlander’s 10th postseason start of 7+ IP since 2010 — the most in @MLB over that span. @MLBNetwork @astros
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 21, 2017
A model of efficiency, Verlander didn't find himself in a single two-ball count through the first three innings.
While he got into trouble a couple of times, he was on cruise control for most of the game. The 34-year-old right-hander made Todd Frazier look foolish, and punched out Aaron Hicks after an epic, 10-pitch at-bat in his final inning of work.
Verlander walked off the mound with a three-run lead. The Astros' bullpen made sure it wasn't for naught, forcing a Game 7 with a 7-1 victory.
In this series alone, Verlander has allowed only one run over 16 innings, striking out 21 Yankees over two starts.
Whether or not the Astros wind up advancing to the World Series, Verlander has done his part with a 4-0 postseason record.
