ShareLOS ANGELES: Detroit’s Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings and the Tigers held off a late fightback to defeat Houston 3-1 on Tuesday as the Major League Baseball playoffs began. The visiting Tigers took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three American League wild card series, which continues Wednesday in Houston.
Skubal, a 27-year-old left-hander, struck out six while allowing four hits and a walk in his first playoff start. The American was the first pitcher to complete a pitching Triple Crown sweep in a full season since 2011, leading the AL with 18 wins, 228 strikeouts and a 2.39 earned-run average.
Houston, seeking a second MLB crown in three seasons, produced drama in the ninth inning, pushing across a run and loading the bases before Jason Heyward flew out to Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson to end the game.
“That ninth inning was crazy,” Detroit catcher Jake Rogers said. “But we got through it and got the win.” The Tigers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2014 under the guidance of manager A.J. Hinch — who led Houston to the 2017 World Series crown.
In the other AL wild card opener, Kansas City edged host Baltimore 1-0, dealing the Orioles a ninth consecutive playoff loss since they last won a postseason game in 2014. “It’s huge,” said Royals slugger Bobby Witt Jr., who drove in the winning run in the sixth inning. “It just shows the team’s relentlessness and how we play every pitch until the end.”
In Milwaukee, the New York Mets scored five runs with two outs in the fifth inning and held on for an 8-4 victory over the Brewers in game one of their National League series. The Brewers had jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and after the Mets responded with three runs in the second, the Brewers regained the advantage with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino gave up eight hits and four runs but settled down to make it through six innings.
Jose Butto pitched two scoreless innings and Ryne Stanek sent down three straight in the ninth to close out the win for the Mets, who had rallied late on Monday to beat the Atlanta Braves in game one of a make-up double-header to claim their playoff spot.
Tatis sparks Padres
The San Diego Padres became the first home team to post a victory, beating the Braves 4-0 thanks to home runs from Fernando Tatis and Kyle Higashioka and an inspired performance from starting pitcher Michael King.
Tatis electrified the Petco Park crowd with a two-run homer in the second at-bat of the night, belting the first pitch he saw from Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver into the left field seats. Higashioka delivered a sacrifice fly for a run in the second and belted a solo homer in the eighth.
That was all the scoring required by King, who struck out 12 without a walk, allowing five runs over seven innings before relief pitchers Jason Adam and Robert Suarez closed it out. “We had the energy today,” Tatis said. “I just got lucky enough to put my bat on the ball and the next thing we know this place is going crazy.”
Tatis said he wasn’t surprised by King’s dominant performance against a Braves team that clinched their post-season spot with a win over the Mets in Monday’s second make-up game. “This guy has been amazing for us since the beginning of the year,” said Tatis, who was already looking forward to game two on Wednesday. “This is the first step of what we can do, and we’re going to come tomorrow and do it again,” he said. — AFP
