Detroit Tigers’ Scott Harris doesn’t believe in Tarik Skubal window
Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris talks July 31, 2025, about how Tarik Skubal’s status impacts front office plans.
The Detroit Tigers beat the Houston Astros, 1-0, in 10 innings on Tuesday night.The Tigers scored the winning run in the 10th inning on a walk-off bases-loaded walk.Tigers starter Tarik Skubal struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings.
Tarik Skubal vs. Hunter Brown.
The showdown of aces lived up to the hype, but the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros remained in a scoreless tie well after both starters departed Tuesday, Aug. 19, in the second of three games in the series at Comerica Park.
In the 10th inning, Gleyber Torres drew a walk-off walk with two outs and the bases loaded against right-handed reliever Kaleb Ort, scoring the free runner in extra innings.
The Tigers won, 1-0.
The Tigers (75-53) can sweep the three-game series with a win Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the finale. If a sweep occurs, the Tigers will secure the season series against the Astros, which will benefit them in postseason seeding, if necessary.
Skubal — the winner of the American League Cy Young Award in 2024 — completed seven scoreless innings on three hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts, throwing 95 pitches.
After Skubal set the tone, right-handed relievers Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest continued to put zeros on the scoreboard with scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Those three pitchers put the Tigers’ offense in a position for a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the best hitters in the lineup failed to deliver, even after a two-out fielding error kept the inning alive with a runner on second base.
It started raining when the 10th inning began.
The Tigers were reigning at the end.
In the top of the 10th, Vest returned to the mound and retired all three batters to strand the free runner on second base — giving him six outs in a row.
In the bottom of the 10th, Andy Ibáñez advanced the free runner to third base with a flyout to right field. The Astros intentionally walked Dillon Dingler, and Javier Báez struck out swinging, but with two outs, Jahmai Jones drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases.
Torres walked on six pitches to end the game.
He never swung his bat.
Before the epic ending, Skubal walked leadoff hitter Jeremy Peña in the first inning, then bounced back with an inning-ending double play against Jose Altuve. He also put two runners on base with a walk and a single with two outs in the third, then pitched his way out of trouble by striking out Carlos Correa to end the inning.
Skubal locked in his command during the fifth inning, striking out all three batters: Mauricio Dubón (swinging, 98.2 mph fastball), Cam Smith (swinging, 97.9 mph fastball), Chas McCormick (swinging, 87.9 mph changeup).
He retired the final nine batters he faced, beginning with the three strikeouts in the fifth inning.
Skubal owns an AL-best 2.32 ERA in 25 starts.
He notched his 200th strikeout in 159â…“ innings when he struck out Ramón UrÃas to conclude his outing. The 27-year-old also recorded the 16th double-digit strikeout performance of his six-year MLB career, including nine in 2025.
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Hunter Brown vs. Tigers
If Skubal is the favorite to repeat as the AL Cy Young winner, Brown — a Wayne State alumnus who grew up in St. Clair Shores — should be among the top three contenders for the award.
He showed why as he hung with Skubal.
Brown, 26, completed six scoreless innings on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts, throwing 101 pitches. The Tigers put at least one runner on base in the first five innings against him, but Brown escaped every time.
There were runners in scoring position in the first, third and fifth innings.
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In the first, Spencer Torkelson grounded out with runners on first and second base. In the third, Kerry Carpenter lined out into an unassisted double play with runners on the corners. In the fifth, Torres flew out with runners on the corners.
The best opportunity came in the fifth inning, when Zach McKinstry ripped a leadoff triple to the right-center gap. To strand the runner, Dingler grounded out, Trey Sweeney struck out and Torres flew out.
Brown owns a 2.36 ERA in 25 starts.
Play at the plate
Two defensive plays saved Skubal from two runs.
Wenceel Pérez robbed Christian Walker of a home run to center field in the second inning, and a relay throw from Carpenter to Torres to Dingler threw out Yanier Diaz trying to score from first base on a double to right field in the fourth inning.
On the play at the plate, the relay throw beat the runner, so home plate umpire Carlos Torres called Diaz out, but the Astros challenged. On the tag, the sliding mitt worn by Diaz clipped Dingler’s glove.
Replay review confirmed the call — and ended the fourth inning.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This story was updated to add a gallery. Â