Tarik Skubal limited Minnesota to one hit in seven innings and tied his career high with 13 strikeouts as the host Detroit Tigers blanked the Twins 3-0 on Sunday night.
Skubal (10-2). who won all five of his June starts, struck out seven batters in a row from the first through the third inning. The left-hander, the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2024, is 8-0 in 10 home starts this season.
Will Vest got the last three outs for his 13th save.
Kerry Carpenter had a solo homer and RBI triple before leaving the contest in the fifth due to right hamstring tightness. Riley Greene supplied a solo shot.
Minnesota starter Chris Paddack (3-7) gave up three runs and six hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first on Carpenter’s 16th homer. He blasted a 3-2 changeup from Paddack over the right field wall.
Ryan Jeffers, the Twins’ No. 2 hitter, hit a routine fly ball to center. Skubal struck out everyone else in his first time through the order.
Javier Baez led off the bottom of the third with a double and moved to third on a long flyout. Carpenter was retired on a fly ball to leave Baez stranded.
Byron Buxton flied out leading off the fourth, snapping Skubal’s strikeout streak.
Greene then staked Skubal to a two-run lead by leading off the bottom of the inning with his 19th homer. Like Carpenter, he hit a 3-2 offering over the right field wall.
Ty France became the first Minnesota baserunner when he smacked a single to right with one out in the fifth inning. Skubal responded by striking out the next two batters.
Detroit added a run in the fifth. Colt Keith was hit by a pitch and Carpenter drilled a triple to the right field corner.
Minnesota’s Christian Vasquez drew a walk with one out in the sixth. Skubal set down the next two batters on a groundout and flyout.
Skubal finished his night by striking out France with a 100-mph fastball.
The Tigers captured the weekend series two games to one and have won five of their last seven games.
–Field Level Media
