Justin Verlander gave up four runs in five innings Sunday, but Drew Smyly's relief work gave Detroit a chance to rally and beat Boston 7-5.
Smyly, a former Arkansas pitcher, tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Verlander, who is arguably the best pitcher in the MLB after winning the American League's 2011 MVP and Cy Young awards. Smyly left the game with two outs and a runner at first in the eighth inning before Joaquin Benoit took over on the mound.
The Tigers assembled a three-run rally in the bottom half of the eighth inning, which included a tie-breaking sacrifice fly that was hit by Pine Bluff native Torii Hunter, to take the lead. Benoit earned the win after giving up a run in the ninth, but maintaining the lead.
“I was not good but we won,” Verlander told Fox Sports Detroit following the game Sunday. “I didn’t pitch well, and I haven’t been pitching great of late…The team picked me up. Smyly came in and shut the door.”
Smyly lowered his earned run average to 1.75 and is 3-0 with two saves on the season. The left-handed Little Rock native has also recorded seven holds and has struck out 46 batters in 46 1/3 innings pitched.
“I like where my mechanics are right now,” Smyly said. “I’m throwing strikes and getting ahead.”
Welker makes Pirates debut
Another former Arkansas pitcher, Duke Welker, made his Major League Baseball debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday.
The 6-foot-7 right-hander tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the eighth inning. Welker faced a minimum of three batters in the inning and struck out one.
Even though Jason Grilli gave up three runs in the 10th inning, the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-9 in the extra-inning affair.