Verlander sets postseason career high with 13 Ks in complete game win

This is why the Houston Astros traded for Justin Verlander.

The veteran right-hander starter struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth, setting his postseason career high in the process with 13 strikeouts against the New York Yankees.

With the brilliant, complete game performance, Verlander extends his personal postseason record, with his seventh start with double-digit strikeouts. Cliff Lee, Randy Johnson, and Bob Gibson are the only other starters to strike out 10 or more batters in five playoff games, according to Andrew Simon of MLB.com.

With the emotional walk-off win, Verlander becomes the first Astros pitcher to pitch a complete game since Mike Scott in Game 4 of the 1986 NLCS.

Adding to what has to be considered one of the most dominant starts in recent postseason history, Verlander maintained a fastball velocity of 96 mph into his ninth inning of work. Additionally, of his 124 pitches on the night, 93 were called strikes, in contrast to only 31 balls.