World Series: Justin Verlander finally captures that elusive first victory
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander celebrates the last out in the fifth inning in Game 5 of baseball's World Series between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Credit: Matt Slocum
PHILADELPHIA
The Astros relied on a number of singular heroics to secure Thursday night’s 3-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series, a win that silenced Citizens Bank Park for the winter and put Houston on the brink of a second title in six seasons.
There was Chas McCormick climbing the right-centerfield wall, Spiderman-style, to rob J.T. Realmuto of extra bases in the ninth inning. Trey Mancini, wearing a glove for the first time since Oct. 5, snaring Kyle Schwarber’s 99-mph grounder to end the eighth with runners on first and third and a run already home. The cliffhanger five-out save turned in by Ryan Pressly. Jeremy Pena’s two RBIs, including the go-ahead homer in the fourth.
But the sustained effort that made this Game 5 win possible came from the 39-year-old ace, Justin Verlander, who bottled up the powerful Phillies in their own backyard for five innings that felt like three times as many.
Verlander, the favorite to claim his third Cy Young Award this season, was more determined than dominant, serving up a homer to Schwarber on his second pitch of the game before clamping down from there. He struck out six — including Rhys Hoskins to leave the bases loaded in the second — but his four walks were the most in a single game since 2019. The last time he walked four in a playoff start was the 2012 Division Series.
When it comes to a cozy hitter’s paradise like The Bank, discretion definitely is the better part of valor, and Verlander issued two of those walks to Bryce Harper and another to Schwarber. He had traffic on the basepaths in all but the fourth and it took him 94 pitches to complete the five-inning stint, which earned him the most elusive prize of his 17-year career: his first World Series win in nine starts, thanks again to the Astros’ bullpen (aside from Rafael Montero’s malfunction).
“I can say I got one,” said Verlander, who entered Thursday with the worst World Series ERA (6.07) of any starting pitcher with at least 30 innings. “My boys, my teammates, my family, they gave me the rookie treatment after the game. They put me in the cart and rolled me in the shower and just doused me with all sorts of stuff, and it was one of the best feelings in my career. Just truly love these guys. I love our team.
“This is a part of the reason why I say it’s so symbolic that so many people were a part of this win. And they rallied around me and they were almost just as happy that I got the win as I was. Just an incredible feeling. It feels great.”
The way the night began for Verlander, he seemed destined to go for 0-for-9, especially being outdueled by Noah Syndergaard for the first three innings.
The Astros needed only four pitches to take a 1-0 lead against the former Met, who was dented by Jose Altuve’s double and an RBI single by Pena, but Verlander gave it back in the bottom half. And he topped Syndergaard by giving it back in only two pitches — the second a high fastball that Schwarber pulled into the rightfield seats.
“I mean, initially you’re like, you know, that [stinks],” Verlander said. “But as a starting pitcher, been there, done that. It just [stinks] because of the moment and obviously all the questions and weight. But you have to rely on the hundreds of starts and the thousands of pitches I’ve thrown before and just kind of say, OK, like, I’ve given up leadoff home runs before. Let me bear down. It’s not going to be indicative of what’s going to happen the rest of the game by any means. Let’s see what happens.”
What happened next was him flipping the switch to Full Verlander Mode, dodging traffic on the basepaths long enough for Pena to smack the go-ahead homer off Syndergaard to open the fourth. Verlander retired six straight — four by strikeouts — before Harper tagged him for a two-out double in the fifth. With the Astros’ stingy bullpen, Dusty Baker could have pulled him right there, at 84 pitches. But Baker was rewarded when Verlander battled Nick Castellanos for 10 pitches, the last a 90-mph slider on which he flied out to left.
“He’s been one of the best at getting out of trouble and, to me, that was his game,” Baker said. “Like I’ve said many times, he’s our ace, and it’s hard to pull your ace because that’s why he’s the ace. Who can you bring in? I mean, we got a great bullpen, but who can you bring in that’s better than the guy that’s out there in Verlander?”
Baker later said getting Verlander the win “was in my heart” but said it didn’t factor in his decision to stick with him through that fifth inning.
“Physically I was fine,” Verlander said. “Just really wanted an out.” And ultimately that W. One more, and he’ll have a second World Series ring to go with it.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
