Tarik Skubal stars as the Tigers top the Cubs 3-1 in a matchup of division leaders
DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched one-run ball into the eighth inning, and Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Friday night in the opener of a weekend series between two of the majors' best teams.
Skubal (6-2) allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. In his past 11 starts, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is 6-0 with a 1.61 ERA, 95 strikeouts and three walks.
Skubal left with runners on the corners, then had to wait out a dramatic moment. Seiya Suzuki lifted a deep flyball to right off Will Vest, but Kerry Carpenter reached above the wall to keep Detroit in front.
Vest got four outs for his 10th save.
Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (3-4) permitted two runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Spencer Torkelson and Jahmai Jones homered for the AL Central-leading Tigers.
The Tigers jumped in front in the fifth on an RBI single by Gleyber Torres, but the NL Central-leading Cubs responded with Kyle Tucker's run-scoring double in the sixth. That ended Skubal's scoreless streak at 20 innings, matching his career high.
Torkelson made it 2-1 when he connected for his 15th homer in the bottom half. Jones went deep in the eighth in his Tigers debut, belting a pinch-hit drive off Génesis Cabrera.
The game, attended by a large contingent of Cubs fans, drew a crowd of 40,132 for the third sellout at Comerica Park this season.
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