Tarik Skubal Shines in Complete Game Shutout Against Guardians

Tarik Skubal delivered an impressive performance on Sunday, allowing just two hits and striking out 13 batters in his first complete game as a professional. The Detroit Tigers secured a 5-0 victory against the Cleveland Guardians, preventing a four-game sweep.

Skubal, who is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, was nearly perfect through five innings, only facing his first baserunner when Will Wilson doubled in the sixth inning. His outing was marked by precision, throwing only 22 balls in a total of 94 pitches.

Finishing with a record of 5-2, Skubal allowed just one additional hit and hit one batter, showcasing his mastery on the mound. This game marked the eighth complete game in Major League Baseball this season and the fifth individual shutout.

On the other side, Logan Allen struggled, giving up a season-high five runs—four of which were earned—along with five hits and four walks over 3 2/3 innings.

The Tigers' offensive surge began with Justyn-Henry Malloy's leadoff single, followed by Zach McKinstry's two-run homer during a five-run fourth inning. Javier Báez added to the scoring with a double that brought home Gleyber Torres after Allen's throwing error extended the inning.

In a notable change for Cleveland, leadoff hitter Steven Kwan was absent from the lineup for the first time this season, while first baseman Carlos Santana was scratched due to tightness in his left leg.

McKinstry's timely homer provided a much-needed boost for the Tigers, who had lost the first three games of the series against the defending AL Central champions, a team that previously eliminated them in the AL Division Series.

With this performance, Skubal made history as the first player in franchise history to record 10 or more strikeouts in four consecutive home games.

Looking ahead, Detroit will feature right-hander Keider Montero (1-1, 5.28) against San Francisco's Hayden Birdsong (2-0, 1.91) in their series opener at Comerica Park on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, Cleveland prepares for a homestand with RHP Gavin Williams (4-2, 3.94) and RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-3, 1.86) slated to start.