He still wasn't prepared.
In his return to Detroit Kirk Cousins Jersey Big , Verlander received three standing ovations while pitching the Houston Astros to a 3-2 victory over the Tigers on Monday night.
Verlander (15-9) made his major league debut with the Tigers in 2005 and ranks among the top 10 on several of the team's career lists. He struck out 10 over seven innings in his first time on the Comerica Park mound since being traded to Houston in August 2017.
"Our hotel is right near my old house, so I got to spend some time in the neighborhood today," he said. "I was trying to keep my routine as much as possible."
That hope ended early, as the scoreboard played a tribute video as Verlander was walking in from the bullpen after his pregame warmups. He stopped, alone in shallow right-center field, and watched the entire show.
"It was almost normal until the tribute video, but that really got to me," he said. "I had a lot of great memories in my 13 years here, and that brought it all back. I wanted to get to the dugout before it started, but once it started playing, I had to watch."
Verlander received his first ovation at the end of the video, and another when he came out for the first inning. Each time, he tipped his cap and waved to the fans.
The longest cheer http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/roquan-smith-jersey , though, came when he walked off the mound after the seventh, having thrown 104 pitches.
"The one after the seventh really meant the world to me," he said. "The fans here were always great to be here, and they showed that again tonight. That was a really emotional moment."
The crowd was announced at 19,711 鈥?the Detroit Lions opened their season next door Monday night against the New York Jets.
"Tonight mattered a lot to him," Astros manager AJ Hinch said. "It is important to him that he pitched here and succeeded here, so it was special for him to get back on that mound."
The World Series champion Astros opened a three-game lead over Oakland atop the AL West despite a sloppy game that came after a Sunday night loss in Boston.
"I'm proud of our guys, because there was a lot going on today, and we didn't play our best game, but we still found a way to pull out a win," Hinch said.
Verlander allowed two runs on six hits and one walk, improving to 98-50 at Comerica Park. Max Scherzer is second in career wins at the stadium with 46 Luke Schenn Jersey Kids , while Jordan Zimmermann leads current Tigers with 14.
"He got exactly the response he deserved from our fans," Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He was a great pitcher here for a long time, and he did a lot of great things for this city."
The Tigers put two runners on in the seventh, but Verlander struck out JaCoby Jones and Jeimer Candelario to escape with a 3-2 lead. He tipped his cap again as the fans came to their feet after the final pitch to Candelario.
"This was a special night," Verlander said.
Roberto Osuna worked the ninth for his 16th save, including seven with Houston.
Francisco Liriano (4-10) allowed three unearned runs on four hits and four walks in six innings. He struck out seven in his longest outing since pitching six innings on July 4.
The Tigers took the lead in the second. Niko Goodrum doubled and later scored on a single by Dawel Lugo.
Liriano's wild pitch and an error by shortstop Ronny Rodriguez allowed the Astros to score three unearned runs in the third. Tyler White and Marwin Gonzalez hit RBI singles, while the Tigers failed to turn two potential double plays.
"You have to make plays," Gardenhire said. "When you miss plays, that's what always happens. We had a chance to get some outs, didn't do it, and it cost us runs."
Verlander settled down after the second, retiring the next nine batters. Candelario walked to start the sixth, Christin Stewart followed with his first major league hit and Nicholas Castellanos had a sacrifice fly.
"If someone had told me that I was going to get my first hit off Justin Verlander in my first major league start . geez P.K Subban Jersey ," Stewart said. "It was a pretty out-of-body experience."
Castellanos made a leaping catch at the right field fence to take an extra-base hit away from Gonzalez in the eighth.
Josh Reddick, in the game for Houston as a defensive replacement, started an inning-ending double play in the eighth with a sliding catch in left field.
EARLY START
The game started at 6:10 p.m., an hour earlier than originally scheduled, to try to ease traffic congestion with the Lions playing at Ford Field. A day game wasn't possible because of the Astros playing on Sunday night in Boston.
UP NEXT
The teams continue their three-game series Tuesday night with Zimmermann (7-6, 4.03 ERA) facing Houston's Framber Valdez (3-1, 1.37).
Houston’s Clint Capela certainly isn’t a household name, and doesn’t get nearly the attention other centers like Ruby Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns receive.But after he outshined those stars the first two rounds of the playoffs, the league is taking notice that Capela is one of the pivotal pieces to Houston’s success as the team prepares for its showdown with Golden State in the Western Conference finals starting Monday.
”What he does is as good or better than anybody in the league without a doubt,” coach Mike D’Antoni said.
Capela leads the NBA this postseason in blocks (2.8 a game) and offensive rebounds (4.1 per contest). He’s fourth with 12.2 rebounds a game overall and his 14.4 point average in the playoffs ranks third on the Rockets behind James Harden and Chris Paul. This came after a regular season where the fourth-year player posted career highs in virtually every statistical category. He averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in helping the Rockets to 65 wins and their first No. 1 seed in franchise history.
”What he does has been unbelievable,” D’Antoni said. ”And he’ll be overlooked. They’ll say he’s a role player and it’s not true.”
The Rockets insist that their high-powered, three-point centered offense wouldn’t work the way it does without the 6-foot-10 Capela. His work as the finisher in Houston’s pick and roll has proven valuable in the playoffs so far. His prowess in that area was on full display in Houston’s Game 5 win that eliminated the Timberwolves in the first round. He shot 12 of 14 and finished with a game-high 26 points to help Houston to the 122-104 victory.
Harden has often said this season that Capela is the player that makes everything else work for the Rockets Taylor Gabriel Jersey , and said Friday that he’s undoubtedly developed into one of the league’s best centers.
”For sure,” Harden said. ”He’s done it for the last few years and he’s definitely showing it now in the postseason. You’ve got guys that just are comfortable with being in the NBA and you’ve got guys that actually want to have a legacy and Clint’s one of those guys.”
To that end Capela is constantly trying to learn and add new wrinkles to his game. He was always picking the brain of eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard when he backed him up in his first two NBA seasons and he’s developed a close relationship with former Rockets star and Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon. Capela can often be seen working with and talking to Olajuwon at practice and Capela said Olajuwon has been impressed with the 23-year-old’s progress.
”He just said I was great and playing with confidence and energy and to keep it up,” Capela said.
While the Capela sees Olajuwon as one of his top mentors, he also appreciates a particular skill of another former Rocket. There are times after Capela blocks a shot that he wags one of his long fingers in the air as Dikembe Mutombo often did during his more than decade-long career in the NBA.
”Just having fun and also sending a message that it’s still my paint,” Capela said with a laugh.
Capela has had at least one block in each of Houston’s playoff games this season and tied a career-best with six in Game 4 against the Jazz. Most impressive about that performance is that five of those blocks came in the last three minutes to help Houston secure the road victory.
He said that shot-blocking barrage was the product of his getting upset after receiving a rare technical earlier in the fourth quarter when he got tangled up with Donovan Mitchell and the two did a little jawing at each other.
”Whenever I got a little into it with this guy from the other team, it fired me up a little bit and I just decided that they wouldn’t score anymore, not in my paint,” he said. ”So this is what happened.”
Capela is happy with his improvement this season, but far from satisfied with his play. He knows he’ll have to keep getting better if the Rockets hope to reach the NBA finals.
”I’m just trying to be more consistent every game,” he said. ”I think during the playoffs I’ve gotten better with my intensity and by doing that I thought that our team got better too.”
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