Kansas City, Mo. — Here’s something you don’t see every fifth day — an opposing starting pitcher going toe-to-toe with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
But we saw it for seven innings Saturday at Kauffman Stadium before the Kansas City Royals broke through in the bottom of the eighth inning off reliever Beau Brieske and ended the Tigers’ five-game winning streak, 1-0.
Brieske allowed a double to Nick Loftin and an RBI single to Vinnie Pasquantino in the eighth. The Tigers could not crack relievers John Schreiber or Carlos Estévez.
But what a duel it was for seven innings.
Royals’ righty Michael Wacha dominated the Tigers’ lineup and didn’t allow a hit for 6.1 innings. He struck out six and allowed almost no hard contract.
Finally with one out in the seventh, Colt Keith smacked a single up the middle, the only blemish on Wacha’s line which had been literally unhittable. Keith had the lone two hits on the day.
Skubal matched him zero for zero, allowing two singles with seven strikeouts and eight ground-ball outs. He’s not allowed a run in 16 straight innings.
Wacha has one of the best change-ups in the game (.180 opponents’ average) and he was using it liberally against the Tigers. Pairing it off a 94-mph four-seamer, he kept the Tigers in-between and off-balance throughout the game.
Skubal has arguably the best change-up in the game. And the Royals put eight right-handed hitters in the lineup against him, almost inviting him to throw the change-up.
Instead, Skubal attacked with 97-mph sinkers and dominated the inner half of the plate. He broke a few bats, got his strikeouts and got the Royals to beat balls into the ground.
He also got some stellar defense. Shortstop Trey Sweeney and second baseman Gleyber Torres made deft plays to steal hits off hard-hit ground balls.
Catcher Dillon Dingler erased one of the singles by throwing out Nick Loftin trying to steal second base in the fifth.
Both starters departed after seven, Wacha at 99 pitches, Skubal at 90.
It’s the fourth time the Tigers (38-21) have been shut out this season.
@cmccosky
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