BALTIMORE (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched seven shoutout innings, Parker Meadows hit a three-run homer and the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Thursday night.
Dillon Dingler also homered for the Tigers, who rebounded from a 10-1 defeat on Wednesday night to win the deciding matchup of the three-game series.
Showing the form that enabled him to unanimously win the 2024 AL Cy Young Award, Skubal (7-2) allowed three hits and permitted just one runner past second base. The lefty struck out six, walked two and lowered his ERA to a sparkling 1.99.
American League-leading Detroit scored all its runs in the fourth inning against Dean Kremer (5-7). Dingler hit a drive to center that cleared the wall and the glove of Colton Cowser, who was shaken up from colliding with the barrier.
The next two batters singled before Meadows hit his first homer of the season, a drive deep into the right-field seats.
Kremer was originally slated to start, but interim manager Tony Mansolino opted instead to use Keegan Akin as an opener. Kremer entered in the second and gave up four runs and five hits in seven innings.
Baltimore's lone run came on an eighth-inning homer by Dylan Carlson off reliever Tommy Kahnle.
Will Vest pitched the ninth for his 12th save.
Key moment
Meadows fell into an 0-2 hole, then hit a foul ball and took a pitch before launching a four-seam fastball into the right-field seats. With Skubal on the mound, the 4-0 lead was essentially insurmountable.
Key stat
In 12 starts since April 2, Skubal is 7-0 with 101 strikeouts and five walks. In addition, he’s given up just one earned run in his last four outings.
Up next
Tigers: Following this unusually brief three-game road trip, the Tigers return home to face the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Orioles: Charlie Morton (2-7, 6.59 ERA) starts against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in the opener of a three-game set.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
David Ginsburg, The Associated Press
