SAD LOSE:Why Shohei Ohtani outshines Tarik Skubal in Detroit Tigers’ 4-3 loss to L.A. Dodgers.There was a noticeable buzz…
Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal threw 100 pitches for the first time this season. The 27-year-old, who is poised to start for the American League in the All-Star Game if needed, reached the milestone while securing the final out in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
In his 101-pitch outing, Skubal limited the Dodgers to two runs over six innings, though the Tigers fell 4-3 due to a late-game home run by superstar Shohei Ohtani in the ninth inning. This first game of the series drew a rare sellout crowd of 42,060 at Comerica Park.
“You can feel it as a player,” Skubal remarked. “There was a noticeable buzz in the park today. You want to win in front of those crowds, with so many people cheering, but we didn’t manage it tonight. We’ll aim to do it tomorrow.”
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With two games left before the All-Star break, the Tigers (45-50) are looking for solutions.
Tarik Skubal gave the Tigers a chance to win, but the game slipped away after his exit. The Dodgers tied the game in the eighth inning and took the lead in the ninth.
In the eighth, back-to-back two-out singles off right-handed reliever Beau Brieske set up Teoscar Hernández’s two-strike, two-out RBI single off right-hander Jason Foley, tying the game at 3-3.
In the ninth, the Dodgers got a one-out single off Foley, followed by a pinch-hit single by Austin Barnes off left-handed reliever Tyler Holton, putting runners on the corners. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani smashed an up-and-in sinker for a ground-rule RBI double to center with a 107.3 mph exit velocity, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
The Tigers opted to pitch to Ohtani, who has an .863 OPS against left-handed pitchers, rather than walking him to face Will Smith, who boasts a 1.071 OPS against lefties, with the bases loaded. This decision was strategic as Holton has held lefties to a .149 average and a .452 OPS.
“Smith is incredibly strong against left-handed pitching,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Ohtani is Ohtani, so it was a tough choice. Ohtani struggled against Skubal, and Holton has been solid left-on-left. It was a pick-your-poison situation, which is why they’re so good.”
Ohtani ended the game 1-for-5 with one strikeout.
