DETROIT -- Moments after beating the Twins in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader,
“I was joking about it. I feel like I've had a bunch of \\[long at-bats\\] this season already, but that's the first one I've actually won and got an out from it,” Skubal said.\n\nHis first Major League win really wasn’t a fast drive in a sports car; more like reliable wheels on a treacherous road. Still, the Tigers’ No. 5 prospect's five solid innings were just what Detroit needed to set up
The Tigers have won four in a row to climb within a game of .500. They also clinched their third consecutive series victory over a Central league contender, with a chance to go for a three-game sweep Sunday behind top pitching prospect Casey Mize. Detroit has won six of eight since its nine-game losing streak and returned within sight of the American League playoff chase.\n\n“The guys, they're up for it, coming to the ballpark,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “I think our confidence level is starting to get better since we played in Cleveland.”\n\nThey’re doing it with a mix of young and old. On the same day Cabrera moved into the top 50 on the Major League all-time hits list, passing Tigers Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer, his 482nd career home run set up Skubal’s first win and
Rides aside, Boyd’s most effective outing of the season set up Skubal’s plan of attack in the nightcap. Skubal’s first two starts had been the day after Boyd pitched, allowing Skubal time to contemplate. This time was more improvised.\n\n“I did get to watch what he was doing a little bit, and see how he attacked and how he got his outs,” Skubal said. “It's a really good visual to just watch that, and it gives me confidence going into my routine.”\n\nHours after Boyd used a healthy dose of changeups and sliders to keep Twins hitters off the fastball, Skubal attacked Minnesota’s Game 2 lineup with more fastballs, 43 of his 70 pitches. He induced six swings and misses and two strikeouts, and scattered three balls in play with exit velocities of 104 mph or harder. But Detroit’s defense made plays for him, none bigger than
Reyes covered 87 feet to the fence in left-center field with enough speed to get his footwork and set up his catch to keep the game at 2-2.\n\n“Today was a windy day. I never thought it was going to be a home run,” Reyes said through translator Carlos Guillen. “But he hit the ball pretty hard. He is Sanó, and he’s pretty strong. I saw the wall, and I made a big jump to catch it.”\n\nIt was Skubal’s first experience with the spaciousness of Comerica Park.\n\n“It was a really, really big play, just to keep the ball in the yard and then get an out for it,” he said. “Really big-time play.”\n\nThe catch bought time for the Tigers to take their hacks at the Twins' bullpen. Cabrera, whose third-inning single set up
Another highlight grab from Reyes, this time a diving catch in shallow center on a Max Kepler blooper, denied Cruz a chance to step to the plate against