Skubal shines as Tigers stay hot with win over Brewers
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Tarik Skubal struck out nine while allowing four hits and no walks in seven shutout innings as the Detroit Tigers trounced the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Monday night.
The reigning AL Cy Youn1g Award winner didn’t allow a baserunner until Rhys Hoskins singled to start the fifth. The Tigers already led 9-0 by that point.
Kerry Carpenter homered and went 2 for 4. Gleyber Torres drove in three runs and scored twice. Andy Ibáñez was 2 for 5 with one run and two RBIs. Javier Báez scored twice.
The Tigers handed Milwaukee its third straight loss by jumping all over Tyler Alexander, who pitched for Detroit from 2019-23. Alexander (1-1) gave up eight runs — four earned — and six walks in four innings while striking out two and walking three.
Alexander was hit by a batted ball against consecutive hitters in the second inning.
Torres hit a 103.6 mph shot off Alexander’s leg, though second baseman Brice Turang threw him out at first. Ibáñez then hit a bouncer that went off the back of Alexander before the left-hander recovered to throw him out.
Detroit scored two runs in the first, two in the second and four in the fourth off Alexander. Carpenter then greeted Elvin Rodríguez by leading off the fifth with a 403-foot drive over the center-field wall.
That was the only run Rodríguez allowed in five innings of relief.
Key moment
After striking out Justyn-Henry Malloy to start the game, Alexander got ahead 1-2 in the count against Torres before walking him. That proved costly when Ibáñez doubled home Torres and later scored on Dillon Dingler's two-out double.
Key stat
Skubal (2-2) allowed seven runs over 10 2/3 innings in his first two starts of the season, but has thrown 13 shutout innings in two starts since. He has given up four hits without walking anyone in each of his last two appearances.
Up next
RHP Jack Flaherty (1-0, 1.62 ERA) pitches for Detroit on Tuesday, and RHP Quinn Priester (0-0, 1.80) starts for Milwaukee.
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