The Dodgers (81-54) snapped their mini losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Tigers (62-72) Friday night in Detroit.
Tarik Skubal wasn’t involved in the decision, but his return to Comerica Park was a success. He allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over six innings of work.
The Dodgers had tons of traffic all night, but they failed to cash in a whopping 15 men left on base. Skubal and the bullpen did a solid job in taming the bats of some good young players in the Detroit
lineup.
Skubal returned to the mound at Comerica Park to a mixed response and weak ovation. Gleyber Torres welcomed him back with a booming double to center field to start things off for the Tigers.
Skubal struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth, picking up six strikeouts. Max Clark whiffed against the change to open the third. Skubal came back to strikeout Javier Baez with his fastball for strikeout no. 5, and Gleyber Torres looked at a changeup for strike 3 and another Skubal strikeout.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, chasing Anderson from the game a bit early. Teoscar Hernández opened the inning with a single, and Ohtani walked.
Drew Sommers relieved his fellow Drew (Anderson) out of the Detroit bullpen to face Muncy with the bases loaded. Sommers got the job done, striking out Muncy with the four-seamer to strand another three runners. The Dodgers already left seven men on base through five innings to that point.
Skubal was perfect after the leadoff Torres double to start the game, but Eduardo Valencia broke up the streak with a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh.
The Tigers’ No. 1 prospect Clark figured out Skubal in his second at-bat against him. His RBI triple lit up the crowd and put the Tigers ahead 1-0 against their old friend Skubal and his new team.
Kiké Hernández singled to right after Tucker reached second on an error, but Dino Ebel gave Tucker an aggressive wave home. Ben Malgeri threw him out at the plate from right field. Even when they managed a hit with runners in scoring position, the Dodgers failed to score.
Miguel Rojas was the one who came up with the game-tying pinch-hit single against Sommers.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the seventh against the Detroit bullpen, but they failed to capture the go-ahead run.
Evan Phillips took over for Skubal out of the Dodgers bullpen and struck out the side on 10 pitches. Phillips has been back on track in his last 4-5 relief appearances.
Teoscar opened the eighth inning with a single and advanced to second on a Ben Rortvedt sac bunt. Teoscar moved to third on Ohtani’s groundout.
Freeman’s two-out base hit to center finally gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
The Dodgers finally put together a key double play of their own in the bottom of the eighth behind Brock Stewart. It got Stewart off the hook for a leadoff walk to Clark and Brett Callahan base hit.
Tanner Scott got the ball in the ninth and shut the door on the Tigers for his 20th save of the season and halted the mini losing skid.
Friday particulars
Home runs: none
WP — Evan Phillips (2-2): 1 IP, 3 strikeouts
LP — Jacob Waguespack (1-2): 1 1/3 IP, 2 hits, 1 run
S — Tanner Scott (20): 2 strikeouts in 1 IP
Up next
The Dodgers and Pirates continue the series on Saturday (10:10 a.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Blake Snell (2-1, 2.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) counters Keider Montero (9-8, 3.30 ERA, 1.00 WHIP).
