On a rain-soaked Sunday in the Bronx, Tarik Skubal reminded us all why he’s an American Cy Young Award candidate, though it wasn’t enough as the Tigers dropped their third straight game to the Yankees in eight innings.
While an Aaron Judge first-inning homer and an Oswaldo Cabrera double in the second dug an early hole, it was about as smooth sailing as you could ask for from there on out for Skubal.
Skubal would settle in to retire 13 out of 15 batters from the last out of the 2nd inning through the end of his outing in the 6th.
And 10 of those 13 outs came via strikeout for Skubal, who finished the day with a career-high 12 strikeouts, including a gassed-up 99 mph fastball against Gleyber Torres for the final out of his day.
Skubal's strong outing makes him the youngest Tigers pitcher to record 12 or more strikeouts in a game since Max Scherzer had 14 Ks on May 30, 2010.
But as has been the case many a time this season, the Tigers were unable to provide much run support Sunday. Detroit didn’t get on the board until Skubal’s day was over, posting a pair of runs in the 7th to tie the game.
Spencer Torkelson’s RBI-double scored Mark Canha before Javier Baez plated Jake Rogers on a fielder’s choice.
New York, however, would snatch the lead right back as Juan Soto slapped a bases-loaded double off Andrew Chafin to score three.
The Yankees held on for the 5-2 win, completing a three-game sweep of the Tigers.
Ending a run of four straight series wins, this marks the first time the Tigers have been swept in a series all season.
Detroit is back in action Monday in Cleveland with Jack Flaherty taking the mound against the AL Central-leading Guardians.
His last time out, Flaherty tied the AL record with seven consecutive strikeouts to start the game. He would finish with a career-high 14 Ks, though Detroit would lose 2-1 to Flaherty’s former team, St. Louis.