Tigers' Verlander named AL Co-Player of Week

Tigers' Verlander named AL Co-Player of Week
By Joey Nowak / MLB.com | 05/09/11 5:07 PM ET

After pitching his second career no-hitter on Saturday against the Blue Jays, Tigers starter Justin Verlander was named American League Co-Player of the Week, Major League Baseball announced on Monday.

The 28-year-old right-hander shared the honor with Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano, who threw a no-hitter of his own just five days earlier.

With the 9-0 victory against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, Verlander became the 27th pitcher in modern baseball history -- and the second Tigers hurler -- to pitch two career no-hitters; Virgil Trucks threw two in 1952. Verlander was perfect into the eighth inning, when he issued his lone walk of the outing. He also struck out four.

Verlander's first no-hitter came on June 12, 2007, in a 4-0 win against the Brewers. In his other start last week, the three-time All-Star struck out eight in six innings in a no-decision against the Yankees on May 2.

Verlander, the 2006 American League Rookie of the Year Award winner, is 3-3 with a 3.16 ERA this season, striking out 55 and walking just 18 in 57 innings. He is 86-55 in his career with the Tigers.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Liriano and Verlander were the first pair to pitch no-hitters within a five-day span since Al Leiter (Marlins) and Dwight Gooden (Yankees) did it in May 1996.

Joey Nowak is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @joeynowak. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.