Detroit Tigers score: Tarik Skubal struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings in a duel against Wayne State alumnus Hunter Brown in the Tigers' 1-0 win.
Tarik Skubal vs. Hunter Brown.
The showdown of aces lived up to its potential, but the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros remained in a scoreless tie well after both starters departed Tuesday, Aug. 19, in the second of three games in the series at Comerica Park.
In the 10th inning, Gleyber Torres drew a walk-off walk with two outs and the bases loaded from right-handed reliever Kaleb Ort, scoring the free runner in extra innings.
The Tigers won, 1-0.
The Tigers (75-53) can sweep the three-game series with a win Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the finale. If a sweep occurs, the Tigers will secure the season series against the Astros, which will benefit them in postseason seeding, if necessary.
Skubal — the reigning American League Cy Young winner — completed seven scoreless innings on three hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts, throwing 95 pitches.
After Skubal set the tone, right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest continued to put zeros on the scoreboard with scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Those three pitchers put the Tigers' offense in a position for a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the best hitters in the lineup failed to deliver, even after a two-out fielding error put a runner on second base and kept the inning alive.
It started raining when the 10th inning began.
The Tigers were reigning at the end, though.
In the top of the 10th, Vest returned to the mound and retired all three batters to strand the free runner on second base — giving him six outs in a row.
In the bottom of the 10th, Andy Ibáñez advanced the free runner to third base with a flyout to right field. The Astros intentionally walked Dillon Dingler, and Javier Báez struck out swinging, but Jones drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases.
Torres walked on six pitches to end the game.
He never swung his bat.
Before the epic ending, Skubal walked leadoff hitter Jeremy Peña in the first inning, then bounced back with an inning-ending double play from Jose Altuve. He also put two runners on base with a walk and a single with two outs in the third, then pitched his way out of trouble by striking out Carlos Correa to end the inning.
Skubal locked in his command during the fifth inning, striking out all three batters: Mauricio Dubón (swinging, 98.2 mph fastball), Cam Smith (swinging, 97.9 mph fastball), Chas McCormick (swinging, 87.9 mph changeup).
He retired his final nine batters, beginning with the three strikeouts in the fifth inning.
Skubal owns a 2.32 ERA, best in the AL, in 25 starts.
He notched his 200th strikeout in 159⅓ innings this season when he struck out Ramón Urías to conclude his outing. The 27-year-old also recorded the 16th double-digit strikeout performance of his six-year MLB career, including nine in 2025.
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Hunter Brown vs. Tigers
If Skubal is the favorite to repeat as the AL Cy Young winner, Brown — a Wayne State alumnus who grew up in St. Clair Shores — arguably is among the top three contenders.
He showed why as he hung with Skubal.
Brown, 26, completed six scoreless innings on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts, throwing 101 pitches. The Tigers put at least one runner on base in the first five innings against him, but Brown escaped every time.
There were runners in scoring position in the first, third and fifth innings.
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In the first, Spencer Torkelson grounded out with runners on first and second base. In the third, Kerry Carpenter lined out into an unassisted double play with runners on the corners. In the fifth, Gleyber Torres flew out with runners on the corners.
The best opportunity came in the fifth inning, when Zach McKinstry ripped a leadoff triple to the right-center gap. To strand the runner, Dillon Dingler grounded out, Trey Sweeney struck out and Torres flew out.
Brown owns a 2.36 ERA in 25 starts.
Play at the plate
Two defensive plays saved Skubal from two runs.
Wenceel Pérez robbed Christian Walker of a home run in the second inning, and a relay throw from Carpenter to Torres to Dingler threw out Yanier Diaz trying to score from first base in the fourth inning.
On the play at the plate, the throw beat the runner to the plate, so home plate umpire Carlos Torres called Diaz out, but the Astros challenged. On the tag attempt, the sliding mitt worn by Diaz clipped Dingler's glove.
Replay review confirmed the call — and ended the fourth inning.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal sharp as Detroit Tigers shut out Houston Astros, 1-0 (10)
Category: Baseball
