LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched three innings and says he feels as if he’s in midseason form after allowing a hit and a run in three innings, and the Detroit Tigers routed the Baltimore Orioles 9-5 on Saturday.
It was Verlander’s first start of the spring.
Tigers catcher Alex Avila said that Verlander might be exaggerating but he was on his way to repeating last year’s success. Manager Jim Leyland agreed, saying that Verlander was a bit anxious, walking two batters. He added his opening day starter was in regular-season form.
Orioles starter Kevin Millwood didn’t make it through the first inning, allowing seven his and six earned runs while getting just two outs. Millwood said he wasn’t concerned and that he was working on a new changeup.
