Tigers 13, White Sox 4: Detroit puts up baker’s dozen in rout of Chicago

When Tarik Skubal is at his best, the Detroit Tigers only need 3-4 runs to win a game. However, it quickly became apparent that Saturday wasn’t one of those days.

Skubal was not his usual perfect self, allowing three runs and four consecutive hits in the third inning. But none of that mattered as Detroit scored four runs in three separate innings, ending the night with a 13-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Let’s be clear. Skubal wasn’t bad by any means, but he’s put together such an impressive resume this season that it’s a bit jarring to see him struggle at any point, especially on a night where he looked elite for four of five innings against the worst team in baseball.

After allowing a pair of singles in the first — one of which was cleaned up by inducing a double play — Skubal struck out the side in the second. It’s no secret that Skubal is the American League Cy Young favorite, but he continues to raise the bar for himself.

Remember though, that Skubal is at a career-high in innings and the arm does tire over a long season. But true aces have that ability to reach the highest levels possible at seemingly impossible times.

Coming off a long rest, Skubal looked in control early. His sequencing baffled Chicago’s hitters, and he placed the ball where no one could make meaningful contact. Well… at least until the third.

Detroit wasted little time getting on the board. Matt Vierling started things with a leadoff double and Andy Ibáñez drove him in immediately after. Unfortunately, a towering fly ball to shallow left field stayed up long enough for Corey Julks to make a Magglio-esque basket catch on and double up Ibáñez, It took a review to prove Ibáñez didn’t re-tag second base after rounding it, but it was the right call. Detroit, 1-0.

Parker Meadows and Zach McKinstry strung together a pair of singles to start a two-out rally in the second, but nothing came of it with Ryan Kreidler at the plate.

The Tigers didn’t take their feet off the gas pedal, though. Chicago’s starter, lefty Ky Bush, couldn’t get anything going. He fell off the mound twice, bounced in a few breakers and inspired little fear throughout Detroit’s lineup.

Vierling smashed a no-doubter into the left field seats to kick off a four-run third for the Tigers. It’s his 15th home run of the season and brings his OPS up to .743. Vierling’s been a fun player for most of the year, and he might not be at his peak yet. Maybe ESPN was right to give him the in-game interview in Williamsport? Detroit, 2-0.

Ibáñez walked after the Vierling home run and quickly got on his horse as Riley Greene smacked a double into the left-center gap. Colt Keith drove in Ibáñez with a tapper back toward the mound. Bush tripped on the mound and almost interfered with the flip to first, but Gavin Sheets made the play around him. Detroit, 3-0.

Chicago’s coaching staff made sure Bush was alright, but Jake Rogers didn’t care. Another double to the left-center wall brought in Riley Greene, and Parker Meadows singled in Rogers. Detroit, 5-0.

The lefty-lefty matchup usually benefits the pitcher, but Detroit played the reverse splits against Bush to great success.

Five runs is usually more than enough for a comfortable win with Skubal on the mound, but it’s a good thing Detroit came to hit today. Chicago responded in the bottom half of the third with four straight hits and three runs. It might be the first time all season that Skubal looked a bit rattled, but he got through it and stayed in the game. Detroit, 5-3.

Chicago, on the other hand, went to the bullpen early, bringing in Touki Toussaint to start the fourth.

It didn’t go well.

Toussaint threw almost 30 pitches before recording his first out. He walked the bases loaded with a combination of sinkers, splitters and the occasional spiked curve in the dirt. Greene traded a fielder’s choice for another run, and Spencer Torkelson followed up with an RBI single. Rogers drove in his second and third runs of the night with a single back up the middle, too. Detroit, 9-3.

Gus Varland, brother of Louie, came in for Toussaint and struck out Meadows to finally end the inning, but the damage was done. Jace Jung took over Ibáñez at second with Chicago out of left-handed arms.

Whatever was wrong with Skubal in the third went away immediately after the inning ended. He allowed just one baserunner over the next two innings, but AJ Hinch pulled him after the fifth. Skubal threw just 88 pitches in total. Final line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K.

Varland pitched a clean sixth for Chicago, and Chad Kuhl threw allowed just one baserunner over the next two innings. Kuhl plunked Vierling with a changeup that moved too far inside, but he never had a chance to score.

Brenan Hanifee was first out of Detroit’s bullpen. He walked the first batter he saw but retired the next three in order. No harm done.

Hanifee almost got through the seventh unscathed, but three straight singles brought in a fourth run for the White Sox and ended his night. Joey Wentz won the lefty-lefty matchup against Sheets to end the inning and preserve Detroits’ five-run lead. Detroit, 9-4.

Wentz also got the eighth with a lefty due up third. He dispatched the two righties for a pair of quick outs, but three straight cutters to Dominic Fletcher resulted in a single back up the middle. Go figure… Brooks Baldwin, a switch hitter, popped up to end the minor threat.

This game could have ended at 9-4 and everyone would have been happy, but no Tigers fan is complaining about what happened in the ninth. As White Sox fans filed out of the stadium, Colt Keith and Zach McKinstry each blasted a two-run homer, rubbing some salt into the wound. Detroit, 13-4.

Shelby Miller closed things out and looked like the elite bullpen piece we thought he was a the beginning of the season. He must have felt good because the plan was clearly to rip fastballs. Miller threw nine total and generated give whiffs, striking out the side to put the ChiSox out of their misery.