'Dominant' Skubal (13 K's) lights-out as Tigers sweep Reds

CINCINNATI -- Manager A.J. Hinch is running out of words to describe Tarik Skubal. Following the left-hander’s outing on Sunday, Hinch settled on “dominant.”

Skubal had another stellar outing, allowing a run on three hits with a career-high 13 strikeouts to help the Tigers defeat the Reds, 5-1, to complete a three-game series sweep at Great American Ball Park.

“We’ve been away from home for a long time and played a lot of different games, but the last three have been pretty fun,” Hinch said. “Pretty well-rounded from the group. Pretty much everyone has contributed in the past couple games. It’s fun to win.”

With the win, Skubal (10-3) became the first Tigers pitcher to record 10 victories before the All-Star break since Rick Porcello (12) and Max Scherzer (11) in 2014. Skubal is the Major Leagues' sixth 10-game winner this season, joining Seth Lugo (Royals), Chris Sale (Braves), Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez (Phillies) and Grayson Rodriguez (Orioles).

“I say the same thing over and over, but Skub is Skub,” said Tigers catcher Jake Rogers. “He’s going to go out there and compete.”

Skubal joined Mickey Lolich as the only Tigers pitchers with 13 strikeouts, no walks, and one or fewer runs allowed in a game.

“I mean, [Lolich] rocked the No. 29 before I did,” Skubal said. “It’s always cool.”

Facing the Reds for the first time in his career, Skubal retired the first six batters he faced, three via strikeout. This is the third time this season he’s had 10 or more punchouts.

“He was locked in from the beginning,” Hinch said. “He finished a couple innings with some screams, and I love that. They’re all coming in big moments, and they’re all authentic. We feed off that. Awesome performance.”

Austin Wynns’ double to lead off the third, which barely eluded Matt Vierling’s diving attempt in left, was the only baserunner against Skubal through five innings. Skubal did not walk a batter and lowered his ERA to 2.37.

Skubal needed just 76 pitches to get through six innings. He struck out two or more batters in five of his seven innings.

“Obviously, our bullpen wasn’t in a great spot, so ... my goal was to eat up as many innings as I could,” Skubal said. “That’s kind of where the focus was today. I’m more proud of the seven [innings] than the strikeouts.”

Detroit began the fourth inning with three consecutive singles off Cincinnati starter Graham Ashcraft. Zach McKinstry’s single drove home Wenceel Pérez to put the Tigers ahead, 1-0. Colt Keith’s RBI single in the seventh made the score 2-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Jeimer Candelario led off with a double and Spencer Steer reached on a fielding error by McKinstry.

A wild pitch by Skubal put runners on second and third. Candelario scored the Reds’ first run on a ground out. Skubal struck out Wynns to strand the tying run at second.

McKinstry hit a two-run homer in the eighth, his third home run of the season, to make the score 4-1. He finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. The homer came an inning after his fielding error that resulted in a run.

“We missed some opportunities early, and they closed the gap a little bit, and always feel we’re in this close game and you don’t know how it’s going to go,” Hinch said. “Then Z-Mac comes up with a really big hit. We had some really good at-bats toward the end that gave us a chance.”