Tarik Skubal continued his dominant stretch on the mound, and Spencer Torkelson hit two home runs with four RBIs as the Detroit Tigers rolled to a 7-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.
Skubal struck out nine over seven scoreless innings while allowing just five hits, helping Detroit secure its 11th win in its last 14 games. The Tigers backed their ace with an explosive start, scoring four runs in the opening inning before adding to the lead the rest of the way.
The loss extended the Angels’ skid to four games and marked their 12th defeat in the last 14 contests.
Tigers Break Through Early
Detroit wasted no time putting pressure on Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez.
Kevin McGonigle opened the game with a double before Dillon Dingler was hit by a pitch. Colt Keith followed with an RBI single, and Torkelson quickly broke the game open by launching a three-run home run to left-center field.
The five-batter rally gave the Tigers a commanding 4-0 lead before the Angels had a chance to settle into the game.
Detroit continued to build on its advantage in the second inning.
James Outman and McGonigle opened the frame with singles before Dingler was hit by another pitch to load the bases. Keith and Riley Greene each lifted sacrifice flies, extending the lead to 6-0.
Rodriguez lasted only four innings, allowing six runs on seven hits in a difficult outing that dropped his record to 3-3.
Skubal Overpowers Los Angeles
While Detroit’s offense provided an early cushion, Skubal made sure the Angels never had an opportunity to climb back into the game.
The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner worked seven scoreless innings, striking out nine without issuing a walk. He threw 60 strikes among his 87 pitches and generated 19 swinging strikes for the third consecutive start.
Los Angeles managed only one meaningful scoring opportunity against the left-hander.
Logan O’Hoppe and Mike Trout singled with one out in the sixth inning to put runners on first and second, but Skubal responded by inducing Vaughn Grissom to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Angels finished the night without advancing another runner beyond first base against Skubal, who controlled the game from the opening pitch.
Torkelson Adds Another Blast
Torkelson was not finished after his first-inning homer.
Leading off the fifth inning against reliever Brent Suter, the Tigers first baseman crushed a 420-foot drive to straightaway center field for his second home run of the night and 18th of the season.
The solo shot pushed Detroit’s lead to 7-0 and marked Torkelson’s first multi-home run game since September 7, 2023.
Keith also turned in a productive performance, driving in two runs, while McGonigle reached base twice and scored two runs from the leadoff spot.
Tigers Continue Midseason Surge
Detroit’s recent turnaround has transformed its position in the American League standings.
After improving to 46-52, the Tigers have won 24 of their last 38 games since June 1. They have climbed to within 5 1/2 games of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central and sit 3 1/2 games behind Boston for the league’s final Wild Card spot.
Just six weeks earlier, Detroit was 22-38 and trailed the division leader by 11 1/2 games.
The Angels, meanwhile, continued to struggle offensively. They were shut out for the second time in July and could not solve Skubal or generate any sustained momentum after Detroit’s fast start.
Up Next
The series concludes Sunday in Anaheim with Tigers right-hander Casey Mize, who is 4-6 with a 2.79 ERA, scheduled to face Angels right-hander Ryan Johnson, who enters with a 1-4 record and a 6.75 ERA.
