There is a reason why he receives $43.33 million (about 58.4 billion won), the highest annual salary in the major leagues. The Houston Astros earned their first win in the Division Series with Justin Verlander leading the way.
Houston won 6-4 in a home match against the Minnesota Twins in the 2023 Major League American League Division Series (ALDS) held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, USA on the 8th (Korean time) and succeeded in taking the lead.
Houston entered the division series this year amidst twists and turns. Houston, which was ranked first in the American League West until the second half of the season, fell from first place just before the end of the season and almost entered the fall stage as a wild card (WC). However, they won 5 games in a row, tied for first place with the Texas Rangers with 90 wins and 72 losses, and earned a direct ticket to the Division Series.온라인바카라
In a short-term game where taking the lead was important, the presence of the ’40-year-old ace’ was noticeable. Prior to this season, Verlander signed a huge two-year contract worth $86.66 million (approximately 116.9 billion won) with the New York Mets and took on a new challenge. However, with no results compared to the astronomical amount invested, the Mets began to organize the team. . As a result, Verlander returned to his ‘hometown’ of Houston. This was the best choice for Houston.
On this day, Verlander pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts, and no runs, giving Houston their first win. The game didn’t start well. Verlander got off to an shaky start in the first inning, giving up two walks, getting a hit, and facing the risk of giving up runs. However, he got off to a scoreless start with a double play, and gradually regained stability starting in the second inning.
Verlander was once again in a critical situation when he was hit by Carlos Correa and Ryan Jeffers in the second inning, but he continued his scoreless pitching with a double play on Michael A. Taylor, and did not allow a run even when he was on second base with no outs in the third inning. Verlander tied up the batting lineup of Alex Kililov, Correa, and Matt Wilner in the 4th inning, marking his first triple strike.
Verlander continued to give up a hit ball to Michael A. Taylor in the 5th inning with one out and no runners on base, but he finished the inning without any major danger, and went on the mound in the 6th inning to block the Minnesota batting line, making a quality start (3 in 6 innings). He went down the mound with the victory requirements completed (less than an earned run).
On this day, Houston’s batting lineup exploded from the beginning of the game. Houston succeeded in taking the lead with a solo home run by leadoff hitter Jose Altuve in the bottom of the 1st inning, and in the 3rd inning, Jordan Alvarez hit a runaway two-run shot from Alex Bregman’s body with one out and runners on first base to close the gap to 3-0. opened up
Houston, riding on the momentum, solidified its victory in the 5th inning when Jose Abreu and Chas McCormick hit timely hits on first and second bases with one out and Bregman’s single and Bregman’s walk, respectively. But Minnesota wasn’t just suffering either.
In the top of the 7th inning, after Verlander came down from the mound, Minnesota had a scoring opportunity created by a ball hit by Willner and a hit by Jeffers, and Jorge Polanco hit a three-run gun to chase down the score. Moreover, the gap was soon narrowed to 5-4 as follow-up hitter Royce Lewis hit back-to-back home runs.
But it was Houston who had the last laugh. Houston got away with one run in the bottom of the 7th inning when Alvarez arched again, ending the game and winning Game 1 of the division series.