Tigers ace Justin Verlander brought a well-rested arm and 25-3 interleague mark into today’s affair, but he yielded 10 hits and seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings as the Pirates won 7-4 at Comerica Park.
Verlander gave up five doubles in a vastly different performance that last week’s season opener in Miami, when he did not yield a hit until his 67th pitch.
On Monday, Verlander needed 37 pitches to leave the second inning and finished with 111 pitches. It’s Verlander’s third career start with 100-plus pitches and less than five innings pitched.
Six Pirates recorded multiple hits in a 17-hit attack to help left-hander Jonathon Niese, who earned the win.