Yankees spoil Justin Verlander’s Astros return with 3-1 win as Nestor Cortes looks sharp

The Yankees did just enough Saturday afternoon to spoil longtime foe Justin Verlander’s first game back with Houston — and got a huge boost from their own returning starting pitcher.

Jake Bauers crushed a tie-breaking fifth-inning home run against Verlander in the Yankees’ 3-1 win in the Bronx, while starter Nestor Cortes struck out eight Astros in his first outing in more than two months.

Verlander, who pitched for Houston from 2017-22, left in the offseason for a two-year, $86.6 million contract with the Mets, who traded him back to the Astros last Tuesday amid their disappointing season.

The right-hander entered Saturday with a 1.49 ERA over his previous seven starts and mostly held the Yankees in check, working around seven hits and two walks to allow two runs over seven innings.

Nestor Cortes delivers exactly what the Yankees need in his return to action against the Astros on Saturday afternoon at the Stadium. (Mary Altaffer/AP)

A second-inning sacrifice fly by 22-year-old rookie Anthony Volpe delivered the Yankees’ first run against the 40-year-old Verlander. The game was tied 1-1 when Bauers slugged his 410-foot solo shot over the right field wall.

Making his first start since May 30, Cortes looked sharp in his return from a rotator cuff strain. The left-hander only allowed one hit — Jose Altuve’s 200th career home run — over four innings, throwing 64 pitches as he continues to build up his arm strength.

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Continued success for Cortes would provide a major lift to a Yankees rotation that’s endured struggles by Luis Severino and Carlos Rodon and that likely lost Domingo German for the season as he attends inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse. Cortes, a 2022 All-Star, pitched to a 5.16 ERA over his first 11 starts but said Friday the injury likely affected his early-season command.

Yankees relievers Ian Hamilton, Tommy Kahnle, Michael King and Clay Holmes combined to throw five scoreless innings against the Astros, who only managed two hits. Gleyber Torres concluded the scoring with an eighth-inning solo home run for the Yankees, who entered Saturday 3.5 games out of the last American League Wild Card spot.

Verlander made his final start for the Mets last Sunday, picking up his 250th career win. His return to the Astros taking place in the Bronx felt fitting, considering Verlander played a central role in Houston eliminating the Yankees from the 2017, 2019 and 2022 postseasons.

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Saturday marked Verlander’s third start of the season against the Yankees, who only scored one run against him over 12 innings with the Mets. Verlander is now 10-8 against the Yankees in 26 career regular-season starts.

The Yankees won Thursday’s series opener over Houston, 4-3, before dropping Friday night’s game, 7-3. They’ll look to win the four-game set Sunday afternoon, with Rodon (1-4, 6.29 ERA) scheduled to pitch against the Astros’ Jose Urquidy (2-2, 5.20 ERA).