Starting pitcher Tarik Skubal tossed a career-high 13 strikeouts across seven stellar innings to help the visiting Detroit Tigers to a 5-1 win and a series sweep against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
Skubal (10-3) allowed one run on three hits with no walks. Gio Urshela went 3-for-4 and Zach McKinstry was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Reds starter Graham Ashcraft (5-5) allowed one run on six hits, with three walks and two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
The Tigers padded their one-run lead in the eighth off reliever Alexis Diaz. Urshela reached on a fielding error with two outs, and McKinstry followed with a home run to right-center field for a 4-1 advantage.
Jake Rogers singled, stole second, and scored to make it 5-1 on Parker Meadows’ single.
Cincinnati had its longest inning of the afternoon in the seventh, sending five batters to the plate. Jeimer Candelario led with a double to right field and Spencer Steer then reached on a fielding error by McKinstry. The pair each moved up on a wild pitch by Skubal, and Candelario cut the deficit to 2-1 on Noelvi Marte’s groundout.
The Tigers had made it 2-0 in the top of the seventh. Rogers drew a walk to open the inning and advanced to third on a double from Matt Vierling. Colt Keith’s single drove in Rogers.
Skubal was firing on all cylinders and held the Reds to one hit over five innings, with Austin Wynns knocking a leadoff double in the third. But two strikeouts and a groundout left the catcher stranded.
Cincinnati wouldn’t get its next baserunner until the sixth when Will Benson led off with a single. But the Reds again left the runner on base, with Skubal retiring the side in order.
Detroit broke through in the fourth after managing just one hit through three innings. Wenceel Perez led off with a first-pitch single to right field and made it to third on Urshela’s ensuing single. McKinstry connected for a third consecutive base hit, scoring Perez and giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Jonathan India and Elly De La Cruz each went 0-for-4 for Cincinnati.
–Field Level Media
