Tarik Skubal Sparks Tigers in Game 5 Showdown Against Guardians
Tarik Skubal's Game 5 Challenge
CLEVELAND (AP) — Tarik Skubal's itching to have another emotional October outburst that makes Tigers fans roar — even if it embarrasses his mom. Baseball's premier pitcher all season, the heat-throwing Skubal — a lock to win the AL Cy Young Award — will start Game 5 for Detroit on Saturday in a fitting, winner-take-all finale of a seesaw AL Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Key Players and High Stakes
- Skubal pitched seven scoreless innings in Game 2
- First-year Guardians manager Stephen Vogt acknowledges the competition
While inducing an inning-ending double play in the fifth inning to keep the game scoreless, Skubal didn't hold back and screamed a profanity toward Cleveland's raucous crowd as he walked toward Detroit's dugout. A national TV audience read his lips. So did those closest to Skubal. His mother, Laura, didn't approve of his salty language and posted a message on social media to convey her disappointment.
Unstoppable Force
- Skubal leads the AL in wins, ERA, and strikeouts
- Tigers are 23-10 when he pitches
Skubal said his dad is the same way. “Genetics,” he said with a shrug. The Tigers and Guardians were thrown a literal changeup on Friday by MLB, which was concerned about a chance for inclement weather Saturday night and moved the first pitch from 8:08 p.m. to 1:08 p.m. Detroit has made an unexpected journey to Game 5. Back on Aug. 10, the Tigers were 55-63, playing some youngsters up from the minors and seemingly on their way to a 10th straight postseason at home.
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