Tarik Skubal Wows Fans with 14 Strikeouts, Tigers Top Jose Ramirez, Guardians in G1

Tarik Skubal struck out a career-high 14 batters Tuesday as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Guardians, 2-1, in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card series.

Skubal's dominant performance tied a franchise record for most strikeouts in a postseason game since 2019 while giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three set.

Despite a costly error by Javier Báez in the bottom of the ninth that allowed José Ramírez to get all the way to third, the Tigers avoided disaster and held on for the win.

The left-hander pitched 7.2 innings, allowing three hits and just one earned run while posting a 1.17 ERA. His overpowering outing set the tone as Detroit moved one win away from advancing to the AL Division Series against the Seattle Mariners, which begins Saturday.

Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson each drove in a run, while shortstop Báez went 2-for-3, notching singles to right and center and leading the team with a .667 batting average.

Skubal's stellar start fueled the Tigers' road victory and gave Detroit the early edge in its postseason push.

Will Vest closed out Skubal's dominant start, throwing 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout and allowing one hit. 

Guardians starter Gavin Williams struggled Tuesday, allowing five hits and one run while striking out eight over six innings. Gabriel Arias drove in Cleveland's lone run with an RBI single.

The teams meet again for Game 2 on Wednesday in Cleveland, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Casey Mize will start for Detroit against Cleveland's Tanner Bibee.