The Los Angeles Dodgers figured out a way to get through Houston Astros starter Dallas Keuchel, but now comes a matchup against a revived Justin Verlander.
In four appearances (three starts) in this postseason, Verlander has a 1.46 ERA over 24 2/3 innings, striking out 24 with six walks. Every time Verlander has touched the mound this October, the Astros have come away with a victory.
"Verlander is going to be throwing 95 (mph) to 98, 99," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "And he's really found that slider, and he's got the breaking ball to change off that."
It sounds a lot like the arsenal that Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw flashed during the Dodgers' Game 1 victory Tuesday, minus a few miles per hour on the fastball. If Verlander follows the Kershaw blueprint (seven innings, one run, no walks, 11 strikeouts in a 3-1 win), the Astros could be headed back to Houston with the 1-1 split they were looking for.
Verlander went a combined 15-8 with a 3.36 ERA for the Detroit Tigers and the Astros in the regular season. He is 9-0 with a 1.23 ERA in a Houston uniform, regular season and postseason combined.
The veteran right-hander has no problem admitting that he is feeling as good as ever right now, and pitching in the playoffs is only heightening his senses. "I think the mental focus is just another level," Verlander said.
"I think it's something that would be easy to say, why don't you just do that every game? It's unsustainable throughout the course of the regular season. If you were that mentally focused, you'd just burn out. It's just another level. I don't know how to really explain it."
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