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New York Mets’ Justin Verlander pitches during the fifth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
QUEENS — Whether he was strengthening or trade value or helping the Mets mount a Wild Card push, Justin Verlander tossed an eight-inning, seven-strikeout in New York’s 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night at Citi Field to clinch the series win.
With a chance to sweep the Sox on Thursday afternoon, the Mets (45-50) have won nine of their last 13 games while Verlander put together his finest outing in his debut campaign in Queens.
The 40-year-old allowed a single hit through six innings of work — an Andrew Benintendi fourth-inning single — while flirting with a “Maddux,” which is a complete-game shutout in which a starter throws fewer than 100 pitches. But a Luis Robert home run in the seventh inning shattered those hopes in a laborious frame that saw him throw 30 pitches after delivering just 59 over his first six.
“Tonight, it did feel better,” Verlander said. “I had control of most of the game and also the offense did a great job early on. A big lead like that is paramount to a starting pitcher being able to go deep in the game.”
The eight innings are tied for a season-best for Verlander, who threw 76 of his 100 pitches for strikes behind a curveball that recorded four punchouts. Entering Wednesday night, that pitch had procured just 10 strikeouts all season.
“It was definitely good tonight,” Verlander said. “I was able to lean on it and get some big outs with it.”
Brett Baty gave Verlander a lead in the third inning with a solo home run that just snuck over the center-field wall against White Sox starter Touki Toussaint for his second round-tripper in as many games. It was the first time in the third…
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