Times wires
Thursday, June 9, 2011
DETROIT — After arriving home from Texas at 4 a.m., the Tigers were battling fatigue. Luckily for them, Justin Verlander made sure they didn't have much to do Thursday.
Verlander allowed one run over eight innings as Detroit beat Seattle 4-1. Verlander pitched so quickly that the "night" game ended at dusk, the final pitch coming 2 hours, 17 minutes after the first and just 16 minutes after sunset.
"I knew I was the only guy that got a good night's sleep so I better do a good job," said Verlander, who had been sent home from the road trip earlier. "If I don't, my early flight was all for naught."
Verlander struck out a season-high 10 and is 5-0 with a 2.14 ERA over his past seven starts.
"I don't feel like this is my best run, but I feel like I'm pitching pretty well," said Verlander, who already has a no-hitter this year. "I just want to keep this momentum going."
Seattle's Brendan Ryan is just glad the Mariners won't face Verlander again this season unless both make the playoffs.
"It isn't fun facing him. It is not fun at all," Ryan said. "He's throwing 98 (mph). "He's got closer stuff, and he's got extra pitches on top of that."