Brad Barr, USA Today: Sale in the 5th and Verlander in the 6th? Hello awesome pitching staff.
Dating back to May 4 of 2007, Justin Verlander had struck out at least one batter in every single start, a streak that spanned 331 starts.
Unfortunately, the Detroit Tigers pitcher has seen that epic streak come to an end.
Verlander was replaced by Chad Bell in the bottom of the fourth inning Sunday as the Tigers battled the Cleveland Indians. In the 3.1 innings Verlander took the mound, he gave up nine hits, seven earned runs, three walks and two home runs.
And when he walked off the mound, the one-time strikeout king conspicuously sported a big fat zero in the strikeout column.
All good things must come to an end. For Verlander, whose overall game has declined recently, that time is now.