Greybeard ace Justin Verlander schools Blue Jays with no-hitter

ham Toro hit a two-out two-run home run in the top of the ninth off Blue Jays closer Ken Giles it felt inevitable, or as Verlander later put it, “perfectly scripted”.

With three outs remaining Houston’s ace got Brandon Drury to ground out and Reese McGuire to strike out quickly - leaving Bo Bichette as his final challenge.

"Bo's having a great start to his career and he's one of the hottest guys in their lineup,” the starter said. “So he's my least favourite guy to see up there [in that spot].”

Astros catcher Robinson Chrinos went to the mound to discuss the pivotal moment, ratcheting up the tension in a building that was already buzzing. The mound, however, was an oasis of calm where the two got into some X’s and O’s.

“The only thing we talked about was that when Bichette goes to two strikes he doesn’t do a leg kick,” Chirinos said. “So he told, ‘If you see him doing it early let me know because I don’t want him to get a hit.’”

After a seven-pitch duel that Verlander called “a good battle” the rookie ultimately grounded the ball, rather appropriately, to Toro.

"Honestly, I just thought 'please be an out, please be an out.’ I saw him catch a seam and he sort of got under the ball,” Verlander said. “It was kind of like a frisbee going over to first base and I just thought 'please don't let it go over his head.' As soon as he catches it, it's just elation."

When former Blue Jay Aledmys Diaz caught the final out it locked in a no-hitter with just one walk and 14 strikeouts as the Astros took home a 2-0 win. The gem wasn’t just impressive it was historic. It made Verlander the sixth pitcher in MLB history with three no-hitters.

“It means a lot,” he said. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t know that [fact]. I’ve come so close. Since I’ve had two I think I’ve blown two in the ninth and another couple in the eighth. I was definitely aware of the history aspect of it.”

What stood out about the outing wasn’t that Verlander was able to keep an inexperienced, if exciting, Blue Jays lineup under wraps. It was the way he did it - looking like the epitome of modern baseball at the age of 36.

Back when the right-hander no-hit the Blue Jays (the first time) he was a radically different pitcher. In that game the then 28-year-old was averaging 97.3 mph and topping out at 102. His game plan was to cram the top of the zone with fastballs and throw his changeup to the glove side and his slider to the arm side.