Tarik Skubal Leads Tigers to Victory in AL Wild Card Series Opener

CLEVELAND — In an impressive display of pitching, Tarik Skubal led the Detroit Tigers to a 1-0 victory against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday.

Skubal tied a Detroit postseason record with 14 strikeouts, mirroring Joe Coleman‘s achievement from 1972. He pitched into the eighth inning, showcasing his dominance throughout the game.

“Winning is what matters to me. It’s mattered to me all year. I think winning is the most important thing in sports,” Skubal said post-game.

Skubal’s performance peaked in the seventh inning where he hit over 100 miles per hour with his pitches 11 times, a career high. He struck out the side in that inning, ending with a blazing 101.2 mph pitch.

Cleveland managed a run against Skubal thanks to a combination of infield hits and a walk. The Tigers scored first, eventually taking the lead with a safety squeeze bunt by Zack McKinstry in the seventh inning.

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch praised Skubal’s performance, stating, “Anyone new to the Tigers-Guardians, this is what they look like. Like, every game. And obviously, Tarik set an incredible tone for us.”

The Guardians opened the series with right-hander Gavin Williams on the mound, but Skubal’s command and control proved too much for their offense.

Skubal’s remarkable outing had only three out of 28 batters hit the ball out of the infield, a testament to his dominant pitching.

The match was tightly contested, indicative of the fierce rivalry between the Tigers and Guardians. “What an unbelievably pitched game we got to watch,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt remarked.

The Tigers look to capitalize on this momentum as they head into Game 2 of the series, with Detroit’s pitching lineup set to face Cleveland. Skubal’s performance has poised the Tigers favorably for a deeper playoff run this season.