Tarik Skubal set down the first 15 batters he faced and recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts as the streaking Detroit Tigers edged the visiting Texas Rangers 2-1 on Friday night.
Skubal (4-2) allowed one run on two hits in seven innings. His strikeout total was one shy of his career high. Will Vest notched his fourth save.
Colt Keith had two hits, scored a run and drove in another for the Tigers, who have won five straight and eight of their last nine games. Dillon Dingler added an RBI double.
Texas starter Patrick Corbin (2-2) gave up two runs and three hits while walking four and striking out three in seven innings. Sam Haggerty’s RBI single accounted for the Rangers’ run. Texas has lost 12 of its last 16 games.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second. Spencer Torkelson drew a one-out walk and Keith hit into a fielder’s choice. Dingler followed with a fly ball to left center that eluded a diving Wyatt Langford for a double as Keith scored from first base.
After Skubal polished off the last two batters in the top of the fourth with strikeouts, the Tigers made it 2-0 in the bottom of the inning. Riley Greene had a leadoff walk and stole second with two outs. Keith then lined a single to center to score Greene.
Skubal nearly struck out the side in the fifth. After fanning Adolis Garcia, home plate umpire Malachi Moore called a first-pitch ball with Marcus Semien at the plate. Detroit manager A.J. Hinch came out of the dugout to argue that Semien had fouled it off but the call stood. Skubal threw two strikes and Moore gave a warning to the irked pitcher before Semien grounded out. Josh Jung then went down swinging.
Josh Smith broke up the perfect game by lining a single to left leading off the sixth. Ezequiel Duran was hit by a pitch before Haggerty blooped a one-out single to right to drive in Smith. Skubal escaped further damage on a strikeout and a fielder’s choice.
Skubal struck out two more batters in the seventh.
–Field Level Media
