Yankees defeat Astros 3-1 in Verlander’s 2nd debut for Houston

The New York Yankees came out on top against the Houston Astros 3-1 on Saturday.

The headline of the game was Justin Verlander 2nd debut for Houston and he tipped it off with pitching seven innings and allowing a go-ahead home run to Jake Bauers.

Weekend Win. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/eBbHQBc73m

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 5, 2023

The veteran allowed seven hits, his second most this season and lost a regular-season start to the Yankees for the first time since June 19, 2015, with Detroit.

Quality #JVDay. pic.twitter.com/FoXuBX0Vgj

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Soto open to in-campaign deal talks with the Yankees

— Houston Astros (@astros) August 5, 2023

Anthony Volpe lifted a sacrifice fly in the second against Verlander for the Yankees, who won for the third time in four games, a stark contrast to their sloppy season.. Gleyber Torres added a homer to open the eighth off Kendall Graveman.

Jose Altuve hit his 200th career homer off Nestor Cortes in the third, but that was Houston’s only hit off the Yankees left-hander.

Returning Cortes had a season-high eight strikeouts, walked one and threw 64 pitches.