Tarik Skubal allowed just one run in eight innings and struck out eight, becoming the fourth Detroit left-hander to achieve 200 strikeouts in a season, as the Tigers celebrated their 1984 World Series win with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Jack Morris threw the ceremonial first pitch to Lance Parrish, and Skubal (16-4) delivered a performance worthy of Morris’ legacy. He gave up a homer to Tyler O’Neill in the first inning, but only allowed three singles afterward, finishing the eighth inning for the first time in his career.
“It was a little fitting that it was the 1984 night and that’s the deepest I’ve pitched into a game,” Skubal said.
Skubal joined Hal Newhouser, Mickey Lolich, and Matthew Boyd as the only left-handers in Tigers history with 200 strikeouts in a season. He now has 201 and might be close to achieving something Morris never did—winning a Cy Young award.
“Tarik is a special player,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s been a key part of our pitching staff all season. He gets a lot of attention, but he keeps performing consistently. I see all of it—his dominance, strikeouts, few hits, low walks, and low ERA.”
Tyler Holton pitched the ninth inning for his sixth save, helping the Tigers close in on Boston by 1 1/2 games for fourth place in the American League wild-card race.
“(Skubal) is amazing—he should probably win the Cy Young,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That means we need to come out tomorrow and win the series.”
Boston’s Nick Pivetta (5-10) gave up two runs on six hits and a walk in six innings. After Tyler O’Neill’s homer, the Tigers took the lead with two runs in the second inning.
Spencer Torkelson hit a single with one out, and Zach McKinstry extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double. Trey Sweeney then hit a fly ball to left field that Rob Refsnyder couldn’t handle near the wall, resulting in a two-run double.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch praised his third base coach, Joey Cora, for deciding to send McKinstry home.
“We’ve talked all year about being aggressive,” Hinch said. “There have been a few outs at home, but you have to take risks to make those plays. That’s part of our identity.”
Alex Cora said he wasn’t surprised that Joey Cora—his older brother—made the call to send McKinstry.
“They took a gamble with the runner at third,” Alex Cora said, not naming his brother directly. “We knew he was very aggressive. Not every third base coach would send that runner, but he makes decisions to catch people off guard.”
In the seventh inning, the Tigers had two singles, but both Ryan Kreidler and Parker Meadows were picked off first base. 44-year-old Rich Hill caught Meadows, the only player on either team who was born when the Tigers last won the World Series.
Kreidler redeemed himself in the eighth inning by making a jump throw from foul territory behind third base to retire Triston Casas. Skubal didn’t expect to pitch the eighth inning.
“It was a special night, with the 1984 team in the ballpark, and the crowd was incredible,” Hinch said. “They were giving him a standing ovation after the seventh, and I was trying to say ‘No, no, you’re going back out there for the eighth.’”
