CLEVELAND – Tarik Skubal pitches these days and he’s the story. He hasn’t lost a game since early April. He was dominant again Sunday, July 6, against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, throwing seven shutout innings and striking out 10.
But then the Detroit Tigers (57-34) don’t sweep the Guardians without Zach McKinstry, who scored on a wild pitch – after pinch running for Spencer Torkelson and stealing second – with two outs in the ninth to tie the game at 1.
Nor do they win without shortstop Trey Sweeney, who homered in the 10th with runners at the corners – Javy Baez opened the extra inning with a flare single to right field.
That blast off the foul pole gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead, and they kept ripping the ball from there, scoring three more runs in the inning, including a solo shot from Riley Greene, who broke his hitless streak over his last 16 at-bats in the 7-2 win.
Whatever demons were here after last October’s Game 5 loss in their ALDS series; they are surely gone, at least for now.
Six runs in the 10th?
After tying the game on a wild pitch?
And that’s not even counting the escape skills Chase Lee showed in the bottom of the ninth after giving up a double to Angel Martinez to begin the inning. Lee saved the game in the eighth inning, too, striking out Kyle Monzardo with the bases loaded after relieving Bailey Horn.
Horn had allowed the first run of the game giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead.
At no point before the Tigers tied the game on the wild pitch did it look like they were going to win.
Cleveland’s starter, Gavin Williams, was about as fierce as Skubal and didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning. The Tigers had only two other chances before the crazy finish.
The last came in the eighth when Gleyber Torres and Matt Vierling drew two-out walks. Riley Greene struck out to end the threat.
Skubal, meanwhile, faced trouble only once after Martinez roped a double down the left-field line with two outs in the seventh inning. He was nearing 90 pitches as he faced Johnathan Rodriguez.
He quickly worked an 0-2 count using a changeup and a 99-mph sinker. As if that weren’t fast enough, he followed with a 100-mph four-seam heater. It sailed for a ball. So, Skubal went back to the changeup and struck him out on the next pitch.
Skubal pumped his fist into his glove and hollered as he left the mound. The crowd booed.
He struck out 10, the 13th double-digit strikeout performance of his career, and his sixth this season, which leads the majors.
He gave up three hits and didn’t allow a runner past second base. Entering Sunday’s game, he was 10-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his last 15 starts.
Skubal didn’t allow a base hit until the fourth inning on Steven Kwan’s (who else?) grounder to first. Torkelson fielded the grounder, but Skubal couldn’t get to first in time to cover, stepping on the bag a split-second after Kwan.
With one out, Jose Ramirez stepped into the box. Skubal struck him out with his changeup, a pitch he threw with precision all afternoon. Other than Martinez’s double, the only ball the Guardians hit hard off Skubal was Will Wilson’s deep shot to center in the fifth.
Parker Meadows ran it down, leapt, and caught it at the wall.
A tough matchup
Williams was 3-7 on four days of rest in 19 career starts with a 4.06 ERA. He didn’t need the extra day against the Tigers. In fact, he’s been tough on them. Last season he faced the Tigers three times and allowed three runs over 16⅓ innings, working five or more innings in all three starts while giving up three or fewer runs.
His size – 6 feet 6, 250 pounds – and velocity is a tough combination and against a team that’s been inconsistent at the plate lately, especially against the Guardians, Williams was too much.
His fastball routinely hits 97 mph – or more – and it finishes with late movement. Williams didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning, the only inning the Tigers threatened him.
With two outs, Meadows drew a six-pitch walk. Javier Baez followed with a single to right as Meadows reached third base. Trey Sweeney drew another walk, loading the bases.
Colt Keith struck out swinging, ending the threat. Williams returned for the sixth inning and made quick work of Matt Vierling, Riley Greene and Torkelson, striking out the slugger. He threw 97 pitches, struck out eight and gave up just one hit.
Contact Shawn Windsor: swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him @shawnwindsor.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers score: Guardians choke late, Tigers explode in extras