Eduardo Valencia launched a two-run walk-off home run in staggering fashion on Justin Verlander day, delivering a storybook ending to an emotional Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park. After nearly six months on the shelf, Verlander’s final major league start got the kind of send-off that legends dream about, complete with a dramatic ninth-inning rally from a young Tigers squad.
JV’s Unforgettable Farewell Tour
Justin Verlander always said he wanted to leave it all on the field, and he absolutely made good on that vow. The Tigers’ long-time ace was pretty good, giving us a solid 5.1 innings of work, which was way more than anyone could’ve expected after that long layoff. You could feel the emotions hanging heavy in the air, and baseball truly gave one of the greatest pitchers ever a perfect send-off. We watched him warming up in the bullpen, wondering what was coming, then saw him make that iconic walk to the dugout. JK Simmons introduced the Tigers, the opening chords of ‘Til I Collapse hit, and the 43-year-old Verlander took the mound in throwback Adidas, which he even joked to Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark were older than they were.
Honestly, I had some trepidation. It’s JV, so he wasn’t going to embarrass himself, but six months off? He could’ve gotten lit up. But we just had to have faith in the guy, and he delivered. He retired Ryan O’Hearn on a fly out to left to kick things off. Then, in classic JV style, he popped up Brandon Lowe and Brian Reynolds for a snappy 1-2-3 first inning. He was keeping things efficient, clearly trying to pitch deep into the game. When that inning wrapped, Verlander even took a moment to congratulate home plate umpire Laz Diaz, who is also retiring, all while getting his hands checked for illegal substances. Benetti’s call was perfect: “The only substance here is joy,” and it truly summed up the whole vibe.
Early Action and Ninth Inning Drama
The game had its moments early, even with the Tigers struggling to get on the board. Max Clark started the bottom of the first with a sharp line drive out to Oneil Cruz in center. Hao-Yu Lee drove a Kirby Yates offering up the middle for a single, and then Kevin McGonigle dumped a blooper into center. Cruz got his cleat stuck and took a tumble trying to grab it, coming up limping but thankfully staying in the game. At one point, Yates even got Eduardo Valencia to chase a splitter down and ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Those early innings showed the grind, but man, did these young Tigers have some fight left.
After struggling to score all game long, this young squad rallied hard in the ninth. And then, boom! Eduardo Valencia stepped up and launched that two-run walk-off home run. You just can’t write a better ending to a day dedicated to a legend like Justin Verlander. It was pure magic, a truly staggering win.
It was an absolutely wild finish to an incredible day for a legend. What a way to go out, right? Oh, and speaking of big league games, heard the Mariners fell short against the Los Angeles Angels, 7-5. Tough break for the Emerald City, but man, today was all about that incredible Verlander send-off!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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