Verlander exits with lead after epic battle in 5th inning

PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander says he has not given much thought to the possibility that this may represent his final start in an Astros uniform. If it was, then it was a great way to go out.

Verlander twirled five strong innings of one-run ball Thursday in Game 5 of the World Series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, exiting in line for the elusive first Fall Classic victory of his career.

“It wasn’t easy,” Verlander said on the FOX broadcast. “It was a lot of work.”

Philadelphia managed four hits off Verlander, who walked four and struck out six in a 94-pitch effort. It marked the first time in nine career World Series starts that Verlander had come out of a game with his team leading.

Verlander and manager Dusty Baker warmly embraced in the visitors’ dugout after the right-hander won a 10-pitch battle to get Nick Castellanos to fly out for the final out of the fifth inning.

Verlander escaped trouble in the second inning, when he struck out Rhys Hoskins to pin the bases loaded, then induced a Bryson Stott flyout to strand two runners on in the third.

After Kyle Schwarber slugged Verlander’s second pitch of the evening into the right-field seats, Verlander leaned upon his slider, which generated seven swings-and-misses. He’d had no whiffs on the slider in Game 1.

Verlander favored the slider over his curveball, which the Phillies appeared set to lay off — Philadelphia swung at only one of Verlander’s 12 curveballs, seven of which missed the strike zone.

Entering Thursday’s start, Verlander had been 0-6 with a 6.07 ERA in eight World Series starts, permitting 29 earned runs across 43 innings. His teams lost six of those eight games.  

“I just want to win — not myself personally. I just want the team to win,” Verlander said.