Houston – Well, Justin Verlander said facing the Detroit Tigers for the first time since they traded him last Aug. 31 would be "different."
He wasn’t kidding. Though this probably isn’t what he had in mind.
The Tigers, who have struggled to score runs for several weeks, especially on the road, blasted four home runs off Verlander Sunday, snapping a six-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Astros.
Verlander had his moments, for sure. He struck out 12 in six innings. Twelve of the first 15 outs he recorded were punch-outs. And, other than the long balls, the Tigers scratched out just two singles.