Kerry Wood, who electrified baseball with a 20-strikeout game as a rookie in 1998 before his career was slowed by injuries, is retiring — appropriately after one final strikeout.
Wood announced his decision yesterday after coming in to face a single batter in the eighth inning during the Cubs’ 3-2 loss to the White Sox at Wrigley Field.
Wood struck out Dayan Viciedo on three pitches before he was replaced. His teammates, who knew about the decision in advance, joined him on the mound to congratulate him and he left to a rousing ovation. He was hugged by his son as he reached the dugout and moments later, he came out for a curtain call waving his cap to the fans, who gave the right-hander a standing ovation.
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KERRY ON: Cubs right-hander Kerry Wood carries his son, Justin, from the field after making his final major league appearance yesterday. He struck out the White Sox’s Dayan Viciedo on three pitches, then left the game and announced his retirement.
Wood finished his career with an 86-75 record, 63 saves and 1,581 strikeouts in 1,379 2/3 innings (10.3 per nine innings).
Woods, who pitched for the Cubs, Indians and Yankees in his 14 seasons in the major leagues, was taken by Chicago with the fourth pick in the 1995 draft. He broke in with the Cubs as a 21-year-old with a blazing fastball who struck out 233 batters in 166 2/3 innings in that 1998 season. He edged the Rockies’ Todd Helton for Rookie of the Year, but missed the entire 1999 season after having Tommy John surgery during spring training.
Justin Verlander came within two outs of his third no-hitter, allowing only Josh Harrison’s ninth-inning single in the Tigers’ 6-0 win over the Pirates last night in Detroit.
The 29-year-old Verlander, last year’s AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner, nearly became the sixth major league pitcher with at least three career no-hitters. But with one out in the ninth, Harrison reached out and flicked a clean single into center field.
The crowd at Comerica Park, already on its feet, gave Verlander a big ovation and the right-hander quickly finished off the Pirates with a pair of groundouts. Verlander completed his one-hit gem with 12 strikeouts and two walks.
Mixing a pinpoint fastball with his sweeping breaking ball, Verlander methodically set down the Pirates for seven innings — then really brought the crowd to life in the eighth. Casey McGehee struck out looking on a 98 mph fastball, then Nate McLouth went down swinging on a pitch that hit 99.
Verlander (5-1) reached 100 mph with his first pitch to Clint Barmes, and after getting him to chase an outside pitch for strike three, the Detroit ace walked slowly to the dugout and down the steps closest to home plate on the third-base side — while teammates used another entrance at the opposite end.
Kerry Wood, Dayan Viciedo, White Sox, Cubs, VerlanderJustin Verlander, Verlander, nine innings, rousing ovation, major league, Todd Helton
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