Verlander solid yet again for Tigers in win over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas _ Justin Verlander proved Brad Ausmus wrong.tmpplchld When the two sat inside the manager’s office late in July, the Detroit Tigers manager had this to say to the ace right-hander: “I said, you’re never going to pitch at 98-100 mph again.”tmpplchld “Oh,” Verlander surely thought. “Really.”tmpplchld The Tigers’ top starter has been back to his fireballing ways as of late _ hitting 99 mph on the Comerica Park radar gun in his last start against the White Sox _ but he didn’t need that velocity on Monday night against the Rangers at Globe Life Park.tmpplchld He needed some velocity but the low-to-mid 90 mph heater with command was all he needed to throw another quality start in the Tigers’ 7-4 win over the Rangers.tmpplchld Verlander was backed by an outstanding offensive effort to take the first of three.tmpplchld Verlander sat eight of the first 10 batters down, only allowing a walk to Prince Fielder in the first inning and a single to Elvis Andrus in the second inning, but found trouble in the fourth inning.tmpplchld He allowed a solo home run to Fielder on the first pitch of the fourth inning _ a low slider that the former Tiger pulled inside the foul pole in right field for his 23rd home run of the season _ and then fell into trouble as the Rangers aggressively attacked the second time through the order.tmpplchld But he got out of the jam on a pop-out to second base, a swinging strikeout of Rougned Odor _ three fastballs, all in the mid-90 mph range _ and a strikeout looking of Chris Gimenez, who stared at a 96 mph fastball on the black.tmpplchld He threw six innings, allowing one run on six hits. He struck out five and walked two.tmpplchld The Tigers took the lead in the third inning on a bases-loaded walk to Miguel Cabrera and then broke the game open in the fifth when Tyler Collins hit a three-run home run to right field _ his fourth of the season _ and James McCann delivered a two-run single.tmpplchld After McCann’s single, designated hitter Victor Martinez left the game with left quad soreness. On Nick Castellanos’ two-out double, Martinez _ who singled _ hobbled into third base and was checked out by team head athletic trainer Kevin Rand.tmpplchld He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday, according to the team. He went 2-for-3.tmpplchld After a stressful fourth inning _ Verlander threw 29 pitches _ he allowed a hit each in the fifth and sixth innings. He threw 107 pitches.tmpplchld Ian Krol fell into trouble in the ninth inning, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk, and in his return to Arlington, Neftali Feliz picked up his fourth save with the Tigers.tmpplchld Feliz allowed a two-run single to Fielder but induced a game-inning double play off the bat of Adrian Beltre.tmpplchld Entering Monday’s start, Verlander had a 2.27 ERA in his past 12 starts, dating back to July 24 against Boston. In nine of those 12 starts, he had pitched seven innings or more.tmpplchld “I think in his mind, he certainly feels a lot better about it,” Ausmus said. “I’m sure Tigers fans, in their minds, feel a lot better about it. I feel good with the way he’s thrown.”tmpplchld Verlander will make one more start this season, on Saturday against the White Sox.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 Detroit Free Presstmpplchld Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld