Justin Verlander helped Detroit Tigers take 1-0 lead – MLB Update
Justin Verlander looked in absolutely stunning form on Monday night as Detroit Tigers crushed Kansas City Royals 3-2 at the Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri in the opening game of the four match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball.
The Tigers had better scoring opportunities than their opponents but their batting unit struggled to take advantage of hitter friendly Royals’ home conditions. Verlander once again proved to be the difference between the two teams as he pitched with great and accuracy to help his team dictate the terms.
The 2011 American League Most Valuable Players Award winner put up solid numbers, giving only 2 runs in almost nine innings. Striking out nine with an impressive 2.13 ERA, he certainly showed glimpses of his brilliance from last season. It will be interesting to see if the starter can continue to work on his game to earn a better win-loss record this year.
"That's just the way he is," Verlander said. "He's relaxed in a situation where a lot of guys might be panicking. And he might be panicking on the inside, but he doesn't show it."
"It was a big task facing Verlander," said Royals manager Ned Yost. "We gave him a good game, but it's not the way we wanted it to end."
"A lot of those last year came pretty easy," Verlander added. "I told everyone my goal this season is to be a better pitcher, even if my numbers might not be as good."
Both teams will be proud at the way they fought in a thrilling contest. The Royals, who have been struggling to find their form since the start of 2012 regular season, looked in much more control in the opener but the Tigers managed to get the better of them to clinch a nail biting encounter.
With just three wins in ten games this season, things have not worked out for Kansas City. Without a shadow of a doubt, they have the ability to flatten even some of the strongest teams in Major League Baseball. But putting their energy into the right channel will be the key for them as they look to turn things around.
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