DETROIT, May 13 (UPI) -- Justin Verlander made a bid to equal one of baseball's great achievements Friday before settling for a two-hitter that gave Detroit a 3-1 win over Kansas City.
Verlander threw the second no-hitter of his career last weekend against Toronto and he did not allow the Royals a hit through five innings Friday. Only once in baseball history has a pitcher thrown no-hitters in two consecutive starts, that feat being achieved by Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds during his rookie season of 1938.
Verlander, one of just two active major league pitchers with more than one no-hitter to his credit, struck out Matt Treanor to open the sixth and, after walking Alcides Escobar, got Chris Getz on a grounder to second.
Needing one more out to escape the inning, Verlander was touched for a triple by Melky Cabrera a 1-0 pitch that brought home Escobar with Kansas City's only run.
Verlander (4-3) eventually gave up two hits while striking out seven and Jose Valverde came on in the ninth to pick up his ninth save.
Two of Detroit's runs came on homers by Austin Jackson in the first and Jhonny Peralta in the fourth.
Luke Hochevar (3-4) took the loss, surrendering all three runs on seven hits in six innings.
Vander Meer threw his first no hitter June 11, 1938, in Cincinnati against the Boston Braves. He walked three and struck out four. Four days later he walked eight but held the Brooklyn Dodgers hitless in the first night game ever played at Ebbets Field.
