Verlander: 'Everything was much better' in 2nd rehab start

Toledo — Justin Verlander packed the house.

And the house wasn't disappointed.

The Tigers right-hander, making his second and final rehab start as he works his way back from a triceps injury, was far more impressive than his first effort a week ago, when he didn't even survive the third inning.

In front of a stadium-record, standing-room-only crowd at Fifth Third Field on Saturday night, Verlander pitched into the sixth inning and struck out nine. He didn't walk a batter.

"Everything was much better," Verlander said. "I think the most improved was the fastball control.

"I was just trying to get a feel for it, locating to both sides of the plate, and I was able to do that. That's the biggest key."

Verlander was expected to throw between 80 and 85 pitches, but he actually exceeded that.

That led to a pretty neat scene.

With two out in the sixth, and with Verlander at 87 pitches, Toledo Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish strolled slowly to the mound, and the crowd came to its feet expecting to give Verlander a rousing ovation as he departed the game.

The roar got even louder when Parrish, after a conference on the mound, turned back to the dugout, leaving Verlander in the game. Even in the minors, Verlander doesn't want to leave a game.

"He said, 'Can you get him in three pitches,' and I said, 'Yeah,'" Verlander said.

He didn't. He had already thrown five to the Columbus batter, and so he decided he needed to throw a fastball right down the middle and end the at-bat, for better or worse.

That led to a long RBI double off the wall in left-center field.

And that was the end of Verlander's night. That was the only run he allowed, and it was unearned.

"I didn't want to end up in another 10-pitch at-bat," he said. "That wouldn't have made L.P. look good."

He finished with 93 pitches, an impressive 69 for strikes. For the record, he earned the no-decision in Toledo's 6-1 loss to Columbus, which rocked Tigers reliever Bruce Rondon.

Unlike his last start in Indianapolis, where Verlander was wild and extremely hittable, Verlander allowed just four hits in 5.2 innings this time out.

He finished each of the first five innings with a strikeout.

The fastball was in the low 90s, topping out at 94. The change-up was impressive. And the curveball was breaking like crazy, just like the Verlander of old.

"Today was a step I wanted to see," Verlander said. "The biggest thing was getting my pitch count up and getting some innings, not just throwing three innings, but getting out there and getting up and down a few times."

Only a couple Columbus players hit the ball very hard against Verlander, who got many more swings-and-misses than the last time out — though the foul balls still were numerous.

Fifth Third Field seats just shy of 9,000, but a stadium-record 13,300 fans were in attendance. Toledo always draws well, it was a Saturday, and it was "Jurassic Park" night, all big selling points.

Verlander was the top draw, though, even looking odd in his "sweet" dinosaur-themed jersey.

A dinosaur — OK, it wasn't real — delivered the game ball to Verlander.

"That was a first," Verlander said, laughing. "Nobody told me it was happening, so I got a ball and went out there, and here comes a dinosaur. All right, well, that's something new."

The Tigers wanted Verlander to make this second rehab start after the clunker in Indy, and it proved a prudent decision.

This will almost certainly be it for Verlander in Toledo, as he is expected to join the Tigers next week. His first start could come as early as Friday against the Indians at Comerica Park.

His return can't come soon enough, with the Tigers scuffling, having lost eight in a row and falling all the way to .500 with Friday night's loss in Chicago.

Verlander conceded it's difficult to be on the sidelines when his team, a popular preseason pick to win another American League Central title, is going through tough times.

"I've been a part of some really good teams that went through rough stretches where we didn't play good baseball," said Verlander, whose start brought throngs of media to Toledo — as well as old friends Jim Leyland and Craig Monroe. "I still believe we have a great team.

"And I think when we turn it around, it's gonna be fun to watch."

tpaul@detroitnews.com

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