SEATTLE (AP) \u2014 Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal turned in a dominant performance in Game 5 of the AL Division\u2026<\/p>\n
SEATTLE (AP) \u2014 Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal turned in a dominant performance in Game 5 of the AL Division Series against the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.<\/p>\n
Skubal stepped up with Detroit trying for the franchise\u2019s first appearance in the AL Championship Series since 2013. He struck out 13 while allowing one run and two hits.<\/p>\n
Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run homer for the Tigers in the sixth, but Leo Rivas tied it at 2 with a pinch-hit RBI single for the Mariners in the seventh.<\/p>\n
Skubal, who won the AL Cy Young Award last year, also started Detroit\u2019s 3-2 loss<\/a> in Game 2. He struck out nine in seven innings, but he surrendered two runs on a pair of solo homers by Jorge Polanco.<\/p>\n He was even better in the series finale.<\/p>\n Seattle jumped in front when Josh Naylor doubled, stole third and scored on Mitch Garver\u2019s sacrifice fly in the second. But Skubal took over from there.<\/p>\n He had a streak of seven consecutive strikeouts, setting a postseason record for a single game. The streak ended when Naylor lined to center for the first out of the fifth.<\/p>\n The 28-year-old Skubal struck out Cal Raleigh on a 100.9 mph fastball on his 99th and final pitch of the night.<\/p>\n It was reminiscent of Skubal\u2019s performance during the AL Wild Card Series at Cleveland, when he struck out 14 while pitching 7 2\/3 innings of one-run ball in the Tigers\u2019 2-1 victory<\/a> in Game 1.<\/p>\n Skubal went 13-6 during the regular season with an AL-low 2.21 ERA. He ranked second in strikeouts with 241.<\/p>\n Skubal was in the same position a year ago, with a chance to pitch the Tigers into the ALCS by winning Game 5 of the Division Series. But he gave up a tiebreaking grand slam to Lane Thomas in the fifth inning of a 7-3 loss at Cleveland.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n