Skubal's 13 strikeouts power Tigers past Guardians 5-0

Winnipeg Free Press

26-05-2025

DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal gave up two hits and matched a career high with 13 strikeouts in his first professional complete game, Zach McKinstry had a two-run homer in a five-run fourth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-0 Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was perfect through five innings and finished with a nearly flawless performance. He had a baserunner for the first time after Will Wilson doubled on the second pitch of the sixth.
Skubal (5-2) gave up only one more hit and hit one batter with a pitch in a masterful, 94-pitch outing that included just 22 balls. It was the eighth complete game in the major leagues this season and fifth individual shutout.
Logan Allen (2-3) allowed a season-high five runs — four earned — five hits and four walks over 3 2/3 innings.
Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a leadoff single and scored on McKinstry's third homer. Javier Báez followed with a double and came home on Gleyber Torres' double. Allen's throwing error allowed Detroit to take a 5-0 lead.
Cleveland kept leadoff hitter Steven Kwan out of the lineup for the first time this season. First baseman Carlos Santana was scratched with tightness in his left leg.
RAYS 13, BLUE JAYS 0
TAMPA, Fla (AP) — Brandon Lowe homered in his third straight game and Tampa Bay routed Toronto for a five-game winning streak and its second series sweep this season.
Ryan Pepiot (3-5) ended a four-start winless streak, allowing three hits over seven innings — which matched his career-high. Tampa Bay is 14-5 against Toronto since the start of 2024, including 4-1 this year.
Lowe had three hits off Chris Bassitt and is 10 for 17 with four home runs against him in his career. He hit his 10th home run of the season in the first, giving him an extra-base hit in five straight games, and singled twice off Bassitt (4-3). Lowe also singled in the third and in a seven-run, seven-hit fifth inning.
Pepiot struck out five and walked one in his first win since April 26. He had been winless in four home starts since April 9 and the Rays had given him 15 runs of support in his previous 10 starts.
Eric Orze and Cole Sulser finished a four-hitter in the Rays' fourth shutout this season. The Rays had 15 hits, one shy of their season high. and were 6 for 17 with runners in scoring position.
Curtis Mead hit his third home run, a two-run drive in the seventh against Paxton Schultz.
Bassitt allowed five runs, nine hits and two walks in four-plus innings.
GIANTS 3, NATIONALS 2
WASHINGTON (AP) — Robbie Ray pitched six strong innings to improve to 7-0, Sam Huff homered and San Francisco hung on to beat the Nationals and take two of three at Washington.
Ray allowed a run on three hits and struck out seven without a walk, lowering his ERA to 2.56.
Washington's CJ Abrams led off the ninth with a double off of closer Ryan Walker. James Wood drove Abrams in with a one-out double to make it 3-2, but Walker retired the next two batters to earn his 10th save.
The AL Cy Young Award winner in 2021 with Toronto, Ray became the second Giants pitcher in the past 30 years to start a season 7-0 after Kevin Gausman did it in 2021. The Giants are 10-1 in Ray's starts.
Washington's Michael Soroka (1-2) went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
Leading off the second, Huff hit a shot to left that bounced off the top of the wall and into the Giants bullpen to make it 2-0. Mike Yastrzemski followed with a triple off the center field fence and scored on a grounder by Heliot Ramos.
Nasim Nuñez singled, went to second on a groundout, stole third and scored on a wild pitch to pull the Nationals within 3-1 in the third.
Ray retired 12 of his final 13 batters.
ORIOLES 5, RED SOX 1
BOSTON (AP) — Ryan O'Hearn and Dylan Carlson each hit a solo homer and Baltimore beat Boston to salvage a split of the four-game series that was interrupted by two rainouts.
The victory gave Baltimore its first consecutive wins since April 30 and May 2 after it earned a split of the day-night doubleheader Saturday by winning the second game.
Jarren Duran had four singles for the Red Sox and highly touted prospect Marcelo Mayer earned his first major league hit — a single — and added a double.
It was the second straight game that Boston's offense has struggled after it learned Alex Bregman, one of its better offensive players, was lost for a while with a strained right quadriceps.
The Orioles won for just the third time in 13 games.
Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman left the game after taking a hard foul off the mask.
Orioles starter Dean Kremer (4-5) allowed seven singles in 5 1/3 innings.
Starting after getting ejected early in his previous start, Walker Buehler (4-2) gave up two runs in five innings.
Carlson hit his first homer with the Orioles into the right-field seats to make it 2-0.
CUBS 11, REDS 8
CINCINNATI (AP) — Seiya Suzuki and Reese McGuire homered in the eighth inning and Chicago rallied for a victory over Cincinnati.
Nico Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in two runs apiece as the NL Central Division leaders took their fourth straight three-game series.
Austin Hays had two hits and drove in three runs for Cincinnati, which has dropped four of five.
McGuire — called up from Triple-A Iowa — tied it at 8 with a solo shot to right and the first two-homer game in his eight-year, big-league career. The 30-year old catcher was a late addition to the lineup after Carson Kelly was scratched due to illness.
After Ian Happ drew a walk and Kyle Tucker's base hit, Suzuki connected on an elevated sinker by Luis Mey and drove it over the left-field wall to put the Cubs on top for good.
It was the second three-run homer in the series for Suzuki, who went 7 for 12 in the weekend three-game set.
Drew Pomeranz (2-0), the fourth of six Chicago pitchers, got the win with a scoreless inning.
BREWERS 6, PIRATES 5
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Caleb Durbin and Brice Turang hit back-to-back doubles in the eighth inning to help the Milwaukee top Pittsburgh.
Durbin sent a sweeper from Ryan Borucki (1-2) to the track in left field, driving in two and tying it at 5. Turang brought him home with a ball down the line in left.
Jared Koenig (3-1) got the win despite allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings. Trevor Megill struck out two in the ninth while recording his ninth save.
Adam Frazier drove in three runs for Pittsburgh, including two on a two-out double that put the Pirates ahead 5-3 in the seventh. He hit an RBI single in the sixth before Tommy Pham tied it at 3 on a single to left.
The Brewers scored three off Bailey Falter in the first before Oneil Cruz cut it to 3-1 with a massive drive in the third.
Cruz's team-leading 11th homer had a 122.9 mph exit velocity for the hardest-hit ball since Statcast began tracking in 2015. He sent a fastball from Logan Henderson 432 feet into the Allegheny River past the Clemente Wall in right for his third homer in three games.
Henderson, a 23-year-old rookie who won his first three starts in the majors, struck out six in five innings.
CARDINALS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 3
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Masyn Winn homered, Victor Scott II hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, and St. Louis beat Arizona for a three-game sweep.
Sonny Gray allowed three runs on nine hits and struck out five in six innings in his second career start against Arizona and first since Aug. 28, 2015, for the Athletics. Iván Herrera drove in two runs for the Cardinals.
John King (1-0) and JoJo Romero each pitched a scoreless inning of relief, and Phil Maton worked the ninth for his second save.
Brandon Pfaadt allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings for Arizona, which has lost five straight for the first time this season.
Jordan Walker hit an infield single off Kevin Ginkel (0-2) to lead off the seventh and advanced on a groundout. Scott singled up the middle off Jalen Beeks to make it 4-3.
Herrera's sacrifice fly in the sixth tied the game at 3-all after Arizona pulled ahead in the top half on Pavin Smith's RBI single.
Winn hit his sixth homer of the season, and first at home, to left field in the third.
ASTROS 5, MARINERS 3
HOUSTON (AP) — Christian Walker hit a game-winning, two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift Houston to a win over Seattle.
The game was tied at 3 when Jose Altuve singled with no outs in the ninth. Walker, who had three hits, then sent a fastball from Casey Legumina (4-2) into the seats in left field to give the Astros the walkoff victory and 3-1 series win over the AL West leaders.
Walker's big game came after the struggling first baseman had just three hits combined in his previous seven games.
Bryan King (3-0) struck out Randy Arozarena to end Seattle's ninth and manager Dan Wilson was ejected for the first time in his career for arguing with home plate umpire Laz Diaz after the call.
ROYALS 2, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Maikel Garcia hit a two-out RBI single in the 10th inning, and Kansas City avoided a series sweep by topping Minnesota.
Garcia drove a 0-2 pitch from Jhoan Duran (3-1) into left field, scoring automatic runner Nick Loftin. Michael Massey struck out swinging and Freddy Fermin bounced to third before Garcia delivered.
Carlos Estévez (2-0) retired each of his four batters — two by strikeouts — to get the win. Taylor Clarke worked the 10th for his first save this season.
Kris Bubic struck out nine in seven sparkling innings for Kansas City. He allowed two hits and walked two, continuing his breakout season.
Ryan Jeffers hit a leadoff double for Minnesota in the first, and Ty France followed with an RBI single.
The 27-year-old Bubic is 3-1 with a 1.22 ERA in his last seven starts. Bubic's 1.45 ERA in 11 starts this season is second among qualified pitchers behind the Yankees' Max Fried at 1.29.
Minnesota right-hander Bailey Ober permitted one run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Fermin drove in Drew Waters with a two-out double in the seventh.
The Twins lost for just the third time in their last 19 games.
RANGERS 5, WHITE SOX 4
CHICAGO (AP) — Adolis García hit a two-run double in a three-run ninth inning, and Texas stopped a six-game slide with a victory over Chicago.
Jake Burger hit a two-run homer for the Rangers, who had dropped seven of eight overall. Shawn Armstrong (2-1) got four outs for the win, and Robert Garcia worked a rocky ninth for his second save.
The Rangers' ninth-inning rally started when Josh Jung was hit by a 0-2 fastball from Jordan Leasure (0-4). Burger followed with a double to put runners on second and third.
After Alejandro Osuna struck out, Kyle Higashioka reached on an error on first baseman Lenyn Sosa. Jung scored, tying it at 3, and García followed with a drive into the gap in left-center.
The White Sox got one back on Michael A. Taylor's RBI double in the bottom of the ninth. But Garcia picked off Taylor and Vinny Capra flied to the warning track in left for the final out.
White Sox right-hander Davis Martin pitched six innings of two-run ball. He allowed four hits and walked three.
PADRES 5, BRAVES 3
ATLANTA (AP) — Jake Cronenworth hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning for the second of San Diego's three long balls, helping the Padres beat Atlanta to win the three-game series.
Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado homered for San Diego, which ended a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory in Friday night.
By winning two of three in the series, the Padres received a boost after placing right-hander Michael King on the 15-day disabled list before the game with inflammation in his right shoulder.
Ronald Acuña Jr. had a double and a walk with two strikeouts for the Braves after hitting long home runs in each of his first two games of the season.
Atlanta right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4) matched his career high with 11 strikeouts while giving up four runs, two earned, in seven innings.
MARLINS 3, ANGELS 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Edward Cabrera struck out a season-high 10 batters over 5 2/3 innings, Jesus Sanchez had an RBI double and Miami beat Los Angeles.
Cabrera (1-1) picked up his first victory of the season in eight tries as he matched his longest outing of the season while giving up three hits and two walks. Javier Sanoja and Connor Norby also drove in runs for Miami.
Kyle Hendricks (2-6) gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings. Travis d'Arnaud had the only extra-base hit for Los Angeles, a second-inning double.
Los Angels hitters combined to strike out 15 times with three hits against Cabrera and three relievers. Ronny Henriquez pitched the ninth for his first career save.
Sanoja's third-inning sacrifice fly gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead. Otto Lopez singled to lead off the fourth, stole second base and scored on Norby's two-out single to center for a 2-0 advantage.
ATHLETICS 5, PHILLIES 4
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Willie MacIver had a tiebreaking single for his first big league hit in a two-run, eighth-inning rally, then capped his debut by throwing out a runner attempting to steal for the final out as the Athletics beat Philadelphia to stop an 11-game slide and the Phillies' nine-game winning streak.
A's manager Mark Kotsay and third baseman Miguel Andujar were ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire Roberto Ortiz with the score 3-3, angered over a called strike.
Philadelphia's Trea Turner homered in the eighth off Hogan Harris for a 4-3 lead.
Matt Strahm (1-3) issued a one-out walk in the bottom half to Logan Davidson, who hit a two-run double and singled for his first hits. He made a forgettable debut Saturday when he entered as a pinch runner in the 10th inning and was thrown out at the plate, was called for obstruction and ended a 9-6 loss by striking out.
Lawrence Butler tied the score with a triple and MacIver singled to center.
A day after blowing a ninth-inning lead, Mason Miller allowed a two-out single in the ninth to Alec Bohm. Johan Rojas pinch ran and MacIver, a 28-year-old catcher who had been in the minors since 2018, threw to shortstop Jacob Wilson, who tagged the sliding Rojas on an elbow.
YANKEES 5, ROCKIES 4
DENVER (AP) — Aaron Judge had two hits, including a tiebreaking double in the fifth inning, and the New York Yankees beat languishing Colorado in a game delayed 1 hour, 46 minutes by rain.
The Yankees led 4-2 with two outs in the fifth and a full count on Anthony Volpe when the game was interrupted. After the delay, the teams returned and Volpe flied out.
Judge was 2 of 4 with an intentional walk in the ninth — fans loudly booed — in raising his average to .397. He gave the Yankees the lead with a double to left in the fifth as lightning began to appear behind Coors Field.
J.C. Escarra had an RBI double in the second and a run-scoring single in the eighth as part of his first three-hit game.
New York took two of three and won their sixth straight series, winning for the 13th time in 17 games.
Colorado is 0-17 in series this season and at 9-44 has the worst big league record through 53 games since 1901.
METS 3, DODGERS 1
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NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso ended the longest home run drought of his career with a two-run shot and the New York Mets took advantage of some shoddy Los Angeles defense in a victory.
Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer — hours after throwing 22 pitches of live batting practice in a significant rehab step — but that was all Los Angeles could muster against Kodai Senga (5-3) and three relievers.
A hustling Juan Soto contributed an RBI groundout and a difficult running catch in deep right field to help New York take two of three from the Dodgers after losing to them in six games in last year's National League Championship Series.
Los Angeles committed a season-high four errors, two of which led to all three Mets runs.
Alonso homered in the first off hard-luck loser Landon Knack (2-2), who permitted one earned run and four hits in six innings for the NL West leaders. He struck out five, walked none and retired 11 straight during one stretch.