Tarik Skubal stars as the Tigers top the Cubs 3-1 in a matchup of division leaders

DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched one-run ball into the eighth inning, and Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Friday night in the opener of a weekend series between two of the majors’ best teams.

Skubal (6-2) allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. In his past 11 starts, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is 6-0 with a 1.61 ERA, 95 strikeouts and three walks.

Skubal left with runners on the corners, then had to wait out a dramatic moment. Seiya Suzuki lifted a deep flyball to right off Will Vest, but Kerry Carpenter reached above the wall to keep Detroit in front.

Vest got four outs for his 10th save.

Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (3-4) permitted two runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson celebrates his home run with Colt Keith (33) against the Chicago Cubs in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Friday, June 6, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Spencer Torkelson and Jahmai Jones homered for the AL Central-leading Tigers.

The Tigers jumped in front in the fifth on an RBI single by Gleyber Torres, but the NL Central-leading Cubs responded with Kyle Tucker’s run-scoring double in the sixth. That ended Skubal’s scoreless streak at 20 innings, matching his career high.

Torkelson made it 2-1 when he connected for his 15th homer in the bottom half. Jones went deep in the eighth in his Tigers debut, belting a pinch-hit drive off Génesis Cabrera.

The game, attended by a large contingent of Cubs fans, drew a crowd of 40,132 for the third sellout at Comerica Park this season.

Key moment

Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw celebrates scoring against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Friday, June 6, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The Cubs lost a run due to a rare baserunning mistake in the fifth. Pete Crow-Armstrong started the inning with a single, and Dansby Swanson doubled to left. Third base coach and former Tigers fan favorite Quintin Berry waved Crow-Armstrong home, but he hesitated at third before breaking for the plate.

He quickly realized it was too late and tried to get back to the bag, but Javier Báez’s relay throw to third was in time.

Key stat

Skubal has 105 strikeouts and seven walks in 83 1/3 innings this season. His seven walks at the time of his 100th strikeout tied for the second-fewest in big league history behind Clayton Kershaw’s five in 2016, according to MLB.

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