Tigers 3, Cubs 1: Skubal leads the Tigers to a win to open series

And the new guy made quite a splash.

Yesterday the Tigers left Chicago, and today, they invited a Chicago team to meet them at Comerica Park. The team they just left, the White Sox , is arguably one of the worst in the American League right now. The one coming to Detroit, the Cubs , has the best record in the NL Central, and in fact nearly the same record as the Tigers. The White Sox gave the Tigers some unexpected troubles in the split series, so Detroit are hoping to find more success against the better Chicago club. Taking the mound for the Tigers is club ace Tarik Skubal, and up for the Cubs is Ben Brown.

In the first, the Cubs went 1-2-3. Within those three outs, Skubal struck out Seiya Suzuki for his 100th strikeout of the season.

The Tigers went down in order in the bottom of the first.

In the second, Riley Greene made a killer catch for the second out of the inning, then a strikeout ended the inning. AJ Hinch talked earlier today about the need to get back to playing great defense, running the bases well, and playing fundamental baseball. The Tigers did that in this one with a pretty great defensive performance all around.

The Tigers finally got something going in the second, with back-to-back singles from Spencer Torkelson and Colt Keith. Dillon Dingler grounded into a double play to end the inning, leaving two runners stranded.

With two outs in the third, the Tigers challenged a ruling at first that said Matt Shaw was safe. The on-field ruling was ultimately upheld and Shaw was ruled safe. Ultimately it didn’t hurt the Tigers beyond losing their challenge, as the inning ended with the next batter. In the home half, Zach McKinstry kicked off the inning with a single. With one out, McKinstry stole second. Parker Meadows drew a walk, but then two outs followed, once again leaving runners stranded.

Javy Baez was so good in center that it’s sometimes hard to remember he was a shortstop. That is until you see him make an incredible play like he did to start the fourth inning.

The Tigers once again went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Peter Crow-Armstrong started the fifth with a leadoff single. The Dansby Swanson followed that up with a double, but Crow-Armstrong and third base coach and old friend Quintin Berry got crossed up and he came around third with too much steam and was caught trying to get back. Two more outs followed and the score remained… scoreless.

With two outs in the home half Baez singled. Then Parker Meadows singled. Then Gleyber Torres hit an RBI single, bringing Baez home. It would be the only run they’d score in the inning, but it put them on the board first.

Matt Shaw started the sixth with a double. With one out, Kyle Tucker doubled, allowing Shaw to score and tie the game. Skubal got the next two outs. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Spencer “What Slump?” Torkelson hit a solo home run. Two outs then followed but the Tigers had reclaimed the lead. Once again, they’d have to settle for one, but it was a good one.

The Cubs went 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh. The Tigers likewise went down in order in the home half.

Justin Turner singled in the top of the eighth and was replaced by pinch-runner Jon Berti. Berti was then eliminated by a forceout from Matt Shaw. Shaw was then caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Ian Happ then singled, followed by a Kyle Tucker single. That was it for Skubal, whose final line for the night was 7.2 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, on 94 pitches. Will Vest came in to get the final out of the inning, but Kerry Carpenter was the real hero for that play, robbing a potential homer.

How did Skubal feel about that catch? Pretty, pretty good.

Génesis Cabrera replaced Brown in the bottom of the eighth. Then freshly called-up pinch-hitting Jahmai Jones made one heck of a first impression with a solo home run. Welcome to the show, Jahmai.

In the top of the ninth, Crow-Armstrong singled, but was eliminated by a Dansby Swanson force out. Swanson advanced to second on defensive indifference, but a groundout then ended the inning and the game.

Final: Tigers 3, Cubs 1