Tarik Skubal gave up five hits and two runs in seven strong innings in his last start before the trade deadline, and the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 on Saturday night.
Javier Báez homered for the third straight game, and Colt Keith hit a home run and a triple, driving in three runs. Báez had only hit one home run this season before this streak, and three of his four home runs this year have been against the Twins.
Skubal (12-3) gave up three hits, including a two-run homer, in the first inning but kept the Twins to two singles over the next six innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
“It was a bloop and a blast, and that happens in this game,” he said. “My command was really bad for the first 2-3 innings, but I kept attacking guys, knowing I would eventually find it. That’s what happened.”
Skubal received a standing ovation from the crowd of 35,138 after the seventh inning.
“The atmosphere is so much fun right now,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “The weather is incredible, we’re playing a good team, Tarik Skubal is on the mound, and the team is playing so much better.”
Hinch isn’t surprised his ace is showing up in trade rumors, though he’s hoping Skubal stays in Detroit.
“If I was on a different team, I would want him, too,” he said. “Who wouldn’t want him? He increases the odds of winning for every single team — 30 out of 30.”
Twins starter Joe Ryan (6-7) allowed three runs on four hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out eight.
“My back was a little tight, but we had a good plan to deal with it,” he said. “Things just don’t always shake out the way you need.”
