DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal struck out a season-high 12 and carried a perfect game into the sixth inning as the Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to five games with a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
Skubal (4-2), whose strikeout total was one shy of his career high, limited Texas to one run on two hits in seven innings.
Tommy Kahnle pitched the eighth and Will Vest got the last three outs for his fourth save.
Dillon Dingler drove in Detroit’s first run with a double in the second inning.
Colt Keith had two hits, scored a run and drove in a fourth-inning run for the Tigers, who have won eight of their last nine games.
Rangers starter Patrick Corbin (2-2) gave up two runs and three hits while walking four and striking out three in seven innings. Sam Haggerty, who had his contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day, drove Texas’ run with a single in the sixth inning. The Rangers have lost 12 of their last 16 games.
Key moment
The Rangers had runners on first and second with one out after Haggerty’s run-scoring single. Skubal responded by striking out Wyatt Langford and retiring Jonah Heim on a fielder’s choice.
Key stat
Skubal has struck out 50 batters over the last 37 innings while issuing just one walk. His strikeout total on Friday was the ninth time in his career he’s reached double digits.
Up Next
Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 2.61 ERA) will seek his third straight victory in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday, while Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (1-4, 3.79 ERA) will look to snap a four-game losing streak.
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