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Top pitchers let fans down in the latest game

Charlie Morton was making his return to Houston, where his pitching helped the Astros to their World Series victory in 2017. He was the one who recorded the last out as they claimed the championship and he’d be starting for the Tampa Bay Rays in his first appearance in Houston since leaving as a free agent.

Justin Verlander, the leading Cy Young Award candidate, would be on the mound for the Astros. He carried a streak of seven consecutive games with at least 10 strikeouts. The Astros lead the American League West while the Rays are contending for a wild card.

Pretty good matchup, eh?

Well, no.

Morton lasted four innings and gave up six runs. Early shower. And not much to watch on the clubhouse television as the Astros rolled to a 15-1 victory.

Verlander was ejected after 5 2/3 innings having struck out only four. Verlander objected to a pitch he thought would strike out a hitter being called a ball. The batter doubled on the next pitch. So Verlander expressed his opinion on the home plate umpire Pat Hoberg and was asked to leave.

“I didn’t really think it was warranted,” Verlander said. “As an umpire, I think Pat needs to understand this is an emotional game, and sometimes when things don’t go your way, you let the umpire know it. I thought I did it in about as respectful way as I could where my emotions were at.”

So it was a short night for Morton, to whom the Astros paid a video tribute before the game, and for Verlander, and a short night for drama.

You can’t always get what you want.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman