Relive the electric night a young fireballer overpowered Milwaukee, cementing his legacy and delivering a rain-soaked masterpiece as the first no-hitter in the stadium's storied history.
As the days wind down on Comerica Park, a stadium that opened in 2000 and has provided the Detroit Tigers and their fans with countless memories over the past two and a half decades, it’s time to start looking back.
Comerica Park will soon enter a new chapter.
Beginning with the 2027 season, the home of the Tigers will officially become Fifth Third Park, bringing an end to the Comerica Park era after more than 25 years.
The stadium itself isn’t going anywhere. The Tigers will still play in the same place, and the memories will remain.
But there is something special about taking one final look back at the moments that made Comerica Park what it is.
That’s the idea behind “Remembering Comerica Park,” a series looking back at some of the best — and perhaps even the worst — memories from the ballpark before the name changes.
And there may not be a better place to start than with Justin Verlander.
A No-Hitter for the History Books
Take yourself back to June 12, 2007.
I was in the summer before my senior year of high school, working at Applebee’s, and I remember watching Verlander take the mound that night and feeling like something special might be happening.
It certainly was.
Verlander, then in just his second Major League season, completely overpowered the Milwaukee Brewers, throwing the first no-hitter in Comerica Park history in a 4-0 Tigers victory. He struck out 12 batters, walked four and needed just 112 pitches to complete the masterpiece.
The performance was vintage Verlander before “Vintage Verlander” had even become a phrase.
His fastball was touching 100 mph late into the game, while his curveball and changeup kept Milwaukee’s hitters off balance.
Verlander retired all 27 batters who came to the plate without recording a hit, becoming the first Tigers pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Jack Morris in 1984.
And I had a front-row seat to the moment — even if it wasn’t exactly the kind of seat you’d expect.
The Applebee’s Memory
I remember watching the final out at Applebee’s and celebrating Verlander’s accomplishment.
Then I turned around and ran directly into a coworker who was carrying a tray of 10 cups of water.
The result?
Water everywhere.
Both of us were completely drenched.
But honestly, I didn’t care.
Justin Verlander had just thrown his first career no-hitter, and more importantly, he had just delivered one of the first truly unforgettable moments of the Comerica Park era.
The Tigers also gave him plenty of offensive support.
Brandon Inge had two hits, including a home run, and drove in two runs. Detroit scored once in the third inning, added two more in the sixth and another in the seventh to give Verlander all the offense he needed.
It was the type of night that sticks with a fan forever.
The Perfect Way to Start the Series
Less than a year removed from winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award, Verlander was already beginning to establish himself as one of baseball’s premier young pitchers.
He finished the 2007 season 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA, but that June night against Milwaukee felt like the beginning of something much bigger.
Verlander would eventually win an American League MVP Award, a Cy Young Award, make multiple All-Star teams and throw another no-hitter later in his career. But his first one will always hold a special place in Detroit history.
And now, with Comerica Park approaching its final games under its original name, it feels fitting that Verlander’s no-hitter is where this series begins.
The Tigers never lifted a World Series trophy at Comerica Park, but that doesn’t mean the ballpark failed to create championship-caliber memories.
There were playoff runs, walk-off wins, heartbreaks, milestones and unforgettable individual performances.
And on June 12, 2007, Justin Verlander gave Comerica Park something it had never seen before.
A no-hitter.
So as we prepare to say goodbye to the name Comerica Park, we’ll take one memory at a time and remember what made this place so special.
This one belongs to Verlander.
