Detroit Tigers score: Tarik Skubal struck out 10 with no walks over seven innings and the bullpen held off the Phillies in a 7-5 victory.
PHILADELPHIA — This was a pitching matchup that seemed made for the movies.
Here was Tarik Skubal, the 2024 American League Cy Young Award winner – not to mention the father of a newborn for the second time this week – looking dominant and racking up strikeouts for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, Aug. 2.
On the other side, the Philadelphia Phillies countered with Zack Wheeler, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award runner-up.
Two big boys going at it.
But the Tigers' offense stole the show, attacking Wheeler’s fastball en route to a 7-5 victory. Colt Keith had three hits and jacked a homer. Kerry Carpenter added a majestic homer that soared high in the air like a rainbow. And Javier Báez topped it off, smashing a two-run homer and ending Wheeler’s day.
Philadelphia fans booed, right on cue.
Báez then gave the Tigers some breathing room in the eighth, hitting a two-run triple to give the Tigers a 7-3 lead. And that became huge when Bryce Harper jacked a 2-run homer off Will Vest.
So, it came down to the new reliever. Kyle Finnegan, who was acquired at the trade deadline, made his Tigers debut with a four-out save, as the Tigers improved to 65-47.
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Tarik Skubal completely dominant
The significance of this was monumental. Because few teams have gone to Philadelphia and taken down Wheeler. The Phillies came into this game 21-3 in Wheeler’s past 24 starts at Citizens Bank Park.
Even though they both gave up runs, this pitching matchup became a dramatic, enthralling strikeout festival. Both Skubal and Wheeler had double-digit strikeouts in the sixth inning.
“I think it's good for baseball,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before the game. “I love these matchups, because these are two good teams, you have two big boys on the mound.”
Skubal’s only blemish through the first five innings was a single by Bryce Harper in the first inning. But the Phillies couldn’t get him to budge off first base.
Great play by Greene
Skubal faced some stress in the sixth inning when Weston Wilson hit a double. But Riley Greene rushed to the rescue. Kyle Schwarber lifted a high foul ball near the wall. Greene came charging, diving and snagging it for an out in foul territory to end the inning. Skubal walked off the mound, with both arms in the air. And Greene was wiping dirt out of his face.
Skubal was dominant through the sixth inning, recording 10 strikeouts and allowing just two hits. But in the seventh inning, he gave up a single, double and ex-Tiger Nick Castellanos jacked a homer on a changeup, turning it into a 5-3 game.
Skubal went seven innings, struck out 10 and allowed five hits.
Keith's big day
Keith spent the day attacking the fastball. He opened the game by singling off Wheeler's four-seam fastball.
Then Keith saw another four-seamer in his second at-bat, jacking a homer to right field to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
But he wasn’t done, even though Wheeler had learned his lesson. He didn’t throw any fastballs to Keith in his third at-bat, just cutters and a sweeper. But Keith hit that 90-mph cutter for another single.
Carpenter's rainbow shot
Wheeler did try to throw a fastball against Carpenter, a 95 mph heater that Carpenter turned into a rainbow. It was a high-arching thing of beauty that soared into the seats, as the Tigers took a 2-0 lead.
And that lead was huge in this game.
“It's always important to play from ahead," Hinch said before the game. "I think when you face somebody like Wheeler, it's even greater.”
Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal dominates in Detroit Tigers 7-5 win over Phillies
Category: Baseball
