Starting Five: Verlander Victorious

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
Justin Verlander is just fine.

The Tigers' 2006 AL Rookie of the Year and 18-game winner in 2007 slumped to 11-17 last year and begain this season 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA. But now he seems to be straightened out.

Verlander on Friday shut out the Indians on two hits, his second straight start with 11 strikeouts. Over his past three outings, Verlander is 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA, allowing 11 hits and striking out 31 in 23 innings.

---

---

He hit 99 mph with his final (118th) pitch against Cleveland, and he got help in the 1-0 victory when center fielder Curtis Granderson robbed Grady Sizemore of a two-run homer in the ninth (above).

"That," starting pitcher Justin Verlander said, "was one of the most amazing plays, given the situation. I don't think you'll see a regular-season play any better than that – anywhere – given the situation."

From the Trainer's Room ...
Rangers third baseman Michael Young, hitting .328 with seven homers and a .598 slugging percentage, left Friday's game with lower-back stiffness.

He said he did the same thing a couple of years ago in Detroit and missed two games. He said the pain is tolerable, but is concerned because of how it affects his range of motion and mobility. He said he'd wait and see how he feels Saturday before deciding if he can play.

Numbers Game ...
San Diego has won one game in regulation in April 18. Since then the Padres are 4-14, with three of the wins in extra innings.

In Their Own Words ...
"I think he just needs to pitch. But in the meantime, it's not fair to the ballclub or him to keep sending him out there." – White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on Jose Contreras, who was pulled from the rotation after Friday's loss, which dropped him to 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA (40 hits, 16 walks in 29 2/3 innings)

Advance Scouting ...
Zack Greinke goes for 7-0 as the Royals visit the Angels (9:05 PM, ET). Greinke, who has a 0.40 ERA, can become the first pitcher since Mike Mussina in 2003 to win his first seven starts in a season with at least seven strikeouts each game. Torii Hunter is 6-for-21 (.286) with two homers against Greinke in his career.