One-time teammates, a duo worth a combined $410 million, faced off in just the second start of their careers.
Justin Verlander (40, New York Mets) and Gerrit Cole (33, New York Yankees) started side-by-side in the second game of the 2023 Major League Baseball World Series at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y., on Friday.
The two are two of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball and have been touted as future Hall of Famers. In the 2018-2019 season, they were part of a one-two punch for the Houston Astros.
The all-time head-to-head matchup is the second since July 1, 2015, when Verlander was with the Detroit Tigers and Cole was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Back then, Verlander allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with five walks and three strikeouts in six innings. Cole pitched 6⅔ innings, allowing two runs on nine hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Fans were eagerly anticipating the first start between the legendary pitchers in nearly eight years.
Verlander faced a Yankees lineup of Jake Bauers (right field), Giancarlo Stanton (designated hitter), Josh Donaldson (third base), Anthony Rizzo (first base), DJ LeMahieu (second base), Isaiah Kaina-Palapa (center field), Billy McKinney (left field), Jose Treviño (catcher), and Anthony Volpi (shortstop).
Conversely, Cole faced a Mets lineup of Brandon Nemo (center field), Starling Marte (right field), Jeff McNeil (second base), Francisco Lindor (shortstop), Francisco Alvarez (catcher), Brett Betty (designated hitter), Tommy Pham (left field), Eduardo Escobar (third base), and Mark Bientos (first base).
New York Mets pitcher Justin Verlander.먹튀검증
New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole.
The two pitchers lived up to their reputations. The start of the game was delayed by about 40 minutes due to rain, but it didn’t seem to matter.
In the top of the third, Verlander was hit by a leadoff double by McKinney. That put runners in scoring position, but he showed his crisis management skills and retired the next two batters. He pitched five shutout innings, allowing just one hit.
Cole was no slouch either. He was perfect until the end of the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fifth, he faltered. After giving up a leadoff double to Lindor, he gave up a single to Alvarez in right field to put runners on second and third. He got a swinging strikeout of Batey at first and third to get out of the jam, but then gave up an RBI double to Pam to give us a 1-0 lead.
With the game tied at 1-1, the Bulldogs scored their first run. She gave up a leadoff double to Treviño. He moved the runners to third on Volpi’s fly ball to right field and then gave up an RBI single to Bowers to tie the game at 1-1.
The Yankees added two more runs in the top of the seventh to give Cole the win. Cole smiled, handed the baton to reliever Jimmy Cordero and walked off the mound. After the top of the seventh inning, the Yankees hold a 3-1 lead over the Mets.