WASHINGTON -- Justin Verlander allowed two runs and four hits over six innings to win his season debut for the Houston Astros, 5-3 over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
The 41-year-old right-hander, who began the season on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, struck out four and walked none, throwing 50 of 78 pitches for strikes in his 258th win.
"He looked really good," Astros Manager Joe Espada said. "Efficient, threw a ton of strikes."
Verlander (1-0) averaged 94.3 mph with 35 four-seam fastballs and induced five groundouts. The nine-time All-Star retired the side in order four times and improved to 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five regular-season starts against the Nationals.
Ildemaro Vargas hit an RBI single in the third and Riley Adams homered in the fourth, cutting Washington's deficit to 4-2.
Verlander had made a pair of minor league injury rehabilitation starts.
He retired his first eight batters before Adams doubled off the base of the wall in right-center field.
"Yeah, pleasantly surprised, honestly," Verlander said. "I kind of tried to cram spring training into three starts and control wasn't quite what I would have liked. The rehab starts and then just look at mechanics and try to find something to make it click. I think what I worked on between last start and this start, just being a little more directional."
Verlander was 13-8 with a 3.22 ERA last year for the New York Mets and Houston, who acquired him ahead of the trade deadline. Espada was hopeful Verlander could key an early season turnaround.
"It's very important," Espada said. "Despite how we started, it's a long journey. we need him to lead us through this season. We have been in this before. We just got to be patient, continue to fight and once this rotation gets healthy and we start hitting our stride it's going to be fun."
Josh Hader allowed Jesse Winker's sacrifice fly in the ninth and got his second save, striking out his final two batters.
BLUE JAYS 5, PADRES 1 Justin Turner hit a home run and drove in another run with a single as Toronto won for the fifth time in six games, beating San Diego. Toronto reliver Bowden Francis (2-2) picked up the win, allowing one hit and no runs in two innings. San Diego starter Matt Waldron (0-2) took the loss. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed seven hits and five runs in 4-2/3 innings. The Padres, who had won five of their last seven games before Friday, are 0-4 in Waldron’s starts this season
BRAVES 8, RANGERS 3 Travis d'Arnaud hit his first three home runs of the season, including a grand slam in the sixth that gave Atlanta the lead, and the Braves beat Texas for their fifth consecutive win. Chris Sale (2-1) allowed 3 runs and 5 hits in 7 innings in the interleague matchup of first-place teams.
PHILLIES 7, WHITE SOX 0 Spencer Turnbull carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, Alex Bohm hit a pair of three-run home runs and Philadelphia beat Chicago to extend its winning streak to four. Turnbull (2-0) didn't allow a hit until Gavin Sheets singled into right field with one out in the seventh. He struck out six and walked two.
REDS 7, ANGELS 1 Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run home run, Nick Lodolo pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for his second quality start since coming off the injured list and Cincinnati snapped a three-game skid with a win over Los Angeles. Lodolo allowed a run and seven hits while striking out six.
RED SOX 8, PIRATES 1 Brayan Bello allowed one hit in six innings, Rob Refsnyder hit his first home run of the season and Boston breezed past struggling Pittsburgh. Bello (3-1) struck out seven and walked two.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BREWERS 2, CARDINALS 1 (10) William Contreras drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and finished with two RBI as Milwaukee beat St. Louis. Contreras hit a two-out single off Ryan Helsley (1-2) in the 10th inning that scored automatic runner Blake Perkins, breaking a 1-all tie.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
GUARDIANS 10, ATHLETICS 2 Tyler Freeman hit a two-run home run and Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez each drove in a pair, sending Cleveland to a victory over Oakland. Triston McKenzie (2-2) allowed one run in five innings and struck out a season-high six.
ROYALS 9, ORIOLES 4 Vinnie Pasquantino and MJ Melendez homered to help Kansas City beat Baltimore and stop the Orioles' four-game winning streak. Adley Rutschman hit his first career grand slam for the Orioles, a seventh-inning home run off Will Smith.
TIGERS 5, TWINS 4 Rookie Wenceel Perez hit a game-ending two-out single in the ninth inning and Detroit handed Minnesota its season-worst fifth consecutive loss.
YANKEES 5, RAYS 3 Juan Soto hit a three-run home run halfway up the right field second deck to cap a five-run seventh inning and New York rallied to beat Tampa Bay. Soto stood at home plate and admired his 409-foot drive off Chris Devenski (0-1), which gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz celebrates with teammates after scoring in the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)