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Verlander wins third straight decision

Jun 17, 2007 - 10:48 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Justin Verlander was not unhittable, but he still was good enough.

Verlander worked six effective innings and the Detroit Tigers erupted for five runs in the seventh en route to a 7-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Five days ago, Verlander pitched the sixth no-hitter in franchise history in a masterful 4-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

"I really didn't want to allow myself to think about that (no-hitter)," Verlander said. "I just wanted to go out there and give our guys a chance to win. It was no different than any other start."

On Sunday, Verlander had to deal with the confines of hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, which had yielded 103 homers heading into the game.

Verlander retired the side in order in the first inning before allowing a one-out RBI single to Abraham Nunez in the second. It snapped his scoreless streak at 17 1/3 innings.

"He didn't throw a no-hitter in his last outing by accident," said Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, who went 0-for-5. "He's got great stuff."

Verlander (8-2) gave up three runs and seven hits, walking two and striking out six. The righthander departed trailing 3-1, but his offense picked him up in the seventh.

"My breaking ball wasn't (thrown) for strikes early on," Verlander said. "If I'm not throwing it for strikes, they're not gonna swing at it."

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel used three relievers in the inning. But the trio failed to get the job done as they allowed three runs, three hits and a walk in the frame.

Adam Eaton worked effectively into the seventh before giving up a one-out double to Brandon Inge and a single to pinch hitter Carlos Guillen, prompting Manuel to call on Geoff Geary (1-2).

Pinch hitter Gary Sheffield greeted Geary with a run-scoring single into left field, pulling the Tigers within 3-2.

"I wanted Geary on Sheffield," Manuel said. "The seventh inning kind of did us in."

Lefthander Mike Zagurski came to retire Omar Infante on a comebacker for the second out. But Manuel again went to his bullpen, calling on Yoel Hernandez.

Following an intentional walk to former Phillie Placido Polanco that loaded the bases, Hernandez had a chance to get out of the inning. However, Craig Monroe grounded a 3-2 pitch off the glove of Nunez at third base into left field for a two-run single, giving the Tigers a 4-3 lead.

"Today, as much as I've been scuffling, it was good to come through for my team today," said Monroe, who was hitless in his prior nine at-bats. "It's fun to see this lineup continue to put up runs the way we do."

Magglio Ordonez added to the Phillies' frustration with a two-run double down the right-field line that extended the advantage to 6-3.

"We got some big hits," Tigers manager Jim Leyland Said. "Monroe got a much-needed huge hit for us. Then Magglio came up big again. It was a huge inning for us."

Guillen added another run to the lead with an RBI single in the eighth off Hernandez, who retired just one of seven batters and was charged with three runs and five hits.

"I think we're like a lot of good teams," Leyland said. "If they get mistakes, they hit them. That's what we do pretty good."

The frustration boiled over for the Phillies in the top of the eighth as Manuel, catcher Carlos Ruiz and third base coach Steve Smith all were ejected for arguing balls and strikes.

Three Detroit relievers bridged the gap to closer Todd Jones, who worked around a two-out single for his 17th save.

Ordonez delivered a run-scoring single with two out in the first inning.

After tying it in the second, the Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the third on Aaron Rowand's double. Eaton helped his own cause in the sixth with a run-scoring base hit.

"He was 2-for-3 off me today," Verlander said. "He was one of my nemesises today."

Eaton worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits. The righthander walked two and struck two.

"Adam kept us in the game," Rowand said. "Gave us a chance to win. We had a 3-1 lead. Just didn't pull it out."

Chase Utley had three hits for Philadelphia, which concluded its homestand at 4-2.