PHOENIX — Corbin Carroll hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, Michael Soroka became the fourth pitcher in Arizona history to throw an immaculate inning and the Diamondbacks roughed up three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in his return to the Detroit Tigers during a 9-6 victory Monday night.
The Diamondbacks won their home opener after getting swept at Dodger Stadium in their first series of the season.
The 28-year-old Soroka (1-0) gave up four hits over five scoreless innings — and the fifth was a gem. The right-hander struck out Javier Báez, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres on nine straight pitches, blowing a 95 mph fastball past Torres on the ninth one to tie a career high with 10 strikeouts.
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The 43-year-old Verlander gave up five runs on six hits and two walks over 3⅔ innings. The big blow came in the second when Carroll connected for his first homer of the season.
“It’s not the way you draw it up, obviously,” Verlander told reporters after the game. “You spend all spring training working on stuff, feel OK, and then the first game of the season felt like nothing was right. These guys were on time for everything.
“One of the things I’m good at is being very objective. I’m not going to sit here and say spring was OK and this was just a bad day. I don’t think what I did today is sustainable. If that’s how hitters are going to react against me, I need to be sharper than that.”
Verlander (0-1) began his 21st big league season after returning to the Tigers in February on a $13 million, one-year deal. The nine-time All-Star spent the first 12½ seasons of his career in Detroit before being traded to the Houston Astros in 2017.
He is scheduled to make his next start against the Cardinals on Sunday.
“I’m grinding,” Verlander said. “Emotionally, I was excited, but obviously a bit defeated now. That sucks. Not the way I wanted it to go, which is disappointing for myself more than anybody else. But just like I’ve done my whole career, I come in here and start trying to think about what was off, how I can fix it, why it was off, and get ready for the next one.
“There are a million different things you can do. I have some ideas right now.”
The Diamondbacks built an 8-0 lead after five innings but the Tigers used a six-run seventh to make a big dent in the deficit. Joe Ross gave up six runs while getting just two outs. Ryan Thompson entered and allowed all three batters he faced to reach base — while also being called for two balks — before Juan Morillo got Parker Meadows to ground out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Ildemaro Vargas hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh to push the D-backs ahead 9-6. Paul Sewald earned his first save.
Detroit’s Colt Keith had two doubles, including one that scored two runs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
