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Astros counting on Verlander for Wednesday night game

Justin Verlander goes to the mound on Wednesday night for the Houston Astros and his task is formidable.

The Astros need a victory to even the World Series at a game apiece after losing 5-4 to the Washington Nationals in the opener and Verlander has never, in his sterling career, produced a win in World Series play.

A Rookie of the Year, a Cy Young Award winner and a seven-time All-Star, Verlander is 0-4 (ERA of 5.67) in five World Series starts with the Detroit Tigers (twice) and Astros. Wednesday night’s game in Houston begins at 8:07 p.m. ET and will be broadcast by Fox.

The Nationals picked up a couple of firsts of their own in the Game 1 victory. It was a Washington franchise’s first World Series triumph since 1933 (by the original Senators) and ended Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole’s remarkable winning streak at 19 (covering 25 starts since May).

Ryan Zimmerman, the Nats’ first draft pick in 2005 – they moved to D.C. after beginning life in 1969 as the Montreal Expos – hit a home run in his first World Series at-bat. “It’s been a long ride,” Zimmerman said afterward.

Other Nats notes: They’ve won seven straight and 17 of 19. … Jose Soto’s monster home run ball is bound for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Soto had three hits in four at-bats and drove in three runs.

Other Astros notes: George Springer homered in his fifth straight World Series game. His seventh inning shot cut the Nats’ lead to 5-3. … The Astros led 2-0 in the first inning on Yuli Gurriel’s two-run double.

Opposing Verlander in Game 2 is Stephen Strasburg, who is looking to avoid his first loss of this postseason. He’s 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA.

Game 3 is set for Washington on Friday night at 8:07 p.m. on Fox.

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