It’s fair to say that Justin Verlander’s Sunday may have been very different if not for a little bit of timely help from teammate Abraham Toro.
Verlander was three outs away from a no-hitter, but the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays were locked in a 0-0 tie in the top of the 9th, complicating the situation. Toro, however, stepped in and hit a two out, two-run home run to give the Astros the lead they needed.
Verlander finished the job in the bottom of the ninth, and fittingly, it was Toro at third base who fielded the final out. After the job was done, Verlander wanted to find the offensive hero — and he made it clear.
Verlander also suggested in a postgame interview that Toro deservedly has some sort of gift coming his way.
The historic nature of Verlander’s feat will be widely documented and remembered for quite some time. Toro’s contribution may ultimately prove to be a footnote, but Verlander himself won’t forget how vital it was.
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