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Verlander makes first start since no-hitter

Jun 17, 2007 - 1:25 PM Detroit (38-29) at Philadelphia (36-32) 1:35 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers has the chance to make history again when he starts against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Verlander (7-2, 2.79 ERA) threw the Tigers' fifth no-hitter in history in a 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. Now he is in position to match Johnny Vander Meer's remarkable record.

Vander Meer is the only pitcher in major league history to toss back-to-back no-hitters. The Cincinnati Reds hurler no-hit the Boston Bees on June 11, 1938 and accomplished the feat again four days later during a 6-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

While taking the "erl" out of Verlander spells "Vander," the odds are slim that anyone will match Vander Meer's record, which has stood for almost 70 years.

Adam Eaton (7-4, 5.42) gets the start for the Phillies, who have won 10 of 14 games. The righthander has pitched well lately, going 2-0 with a 1.28 ERA in 13 innings over his last two starts.

Shane Victorino hit his career-high seventh homer of the season as the Phillies posted a 6-3 triumph here on Saturday. Detroit won the first game of the series, 12-8, on Friday.