Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander had a simple explanation after he threw a pitch behind Nelson Cruz on Wednesday. "It just slipped," he said.

(AP Photo)

BALTIMORE -- Justin Verlander generally offers lengthy and thoughtful responses to questions after games in which he pitches.

He was a man of few words Wednesday afternoon regarding the pitch that he threw behind Nelson Cruz in his team's 7-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Verlander was asked if he was sending a message to Cruz and also whether he exchanged any words with Cruz when he hit a three-run home run off Verlander late in the game.

The answers to both questions came in a single word: "No."

So, what happened with the 1-0 pitch to Cruz in the fourth inning that was thrown behind him and went to the backstop? (See the video right here.)

"It just slipped," Verlander said.

No matter what Verlander or Tigers manager Brad Ausmus say, it certainly appeared as it the pitch was a message sent in response to Bud Norris hitting Torii Hunter with a pitch Monday night. That pitch, a 94-mph fastball that hit Hunter in the ribs, came two pitches after Ian Kinsler hit a two-run home run.

Like Verlander, Ausmus seemed intent on answering questions about the pitch in the most direct and brief way possible. What was his view of the pitch?

"My view was from the dugout," Ausmus said.

Was their intent on Verlander's part?

"As skilled as these pitchers are at this level, balls get away from pitchers sometimes," Ausmus said, "just like I'm sure the ball got away from Bud Norris."

A Major League Baseball spokesperson said via email Wednesday that there would be no penalties for umpire Paul Nauert for patting Hunter on the face during the incident Monday night. It appears that Norris will avoid a suspension. In light of that, it would be a shock if there were any punishments handed out for the pitch Verlander threw Wednesday.

After the pitch, Verlander and both benches were warned by home plate umpire John Tumpane. As Verlander took a few steps toward the plate to get a new ball from the umpire, the two stared each other down and Cruz grabbed his crotch.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter clearly didn't feel that warnings were enough as he headed onto the field to talk with Tumpane.

"I'm just trying to figure out the consistency of it," Showalter said. "You get one pitch and they read intent on Bud, and you get one pitch that's completely obvious that there's intent there, so why did you issue a warning and not eject him?"

The game Wednesday was the final meeting between the two teams this year.

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