Mark Canha, Tarik Skubal propel Tigers past Twins

Field Level Media|published: Sat 13th April, 08:06 2024

Mark Canha homered and drove in two runs, Tarik Skubal pitched five scoreless innings and the host Detroit Tigers cruised past the Minnesota Twins 8-2 on Friday night.

Skubal (2-0) allowed only two hits and struck out five. Spencer Torkelson and Matt Vierling had two hits and two RBIs apiece.

The game was delayed for more than an hour due to inclement weather.

Twins starter Pablo Lopez (1-2) gave up five runs and six hits in four-plus innings. Kyle Farmer's RBI double in the ninth broke up Detroit's shutout bid.

Canha clubbed his third home run over the left-center field fence with one out in the first. Kerry Carpenter and Colt Keith had two-out singles later in the inning, but center fielder Byron Buxton threw out Carpenter at third.

Skubal set down the first eight batters he faced. The next two reached on an infield single and a walk. He then struck out Carlos Correa, who was removed in the bottom of the third inning in favor of Willi Castro.

Correa was diagnosed with a right oblique strain.

The top of the fourth followed a similar pattern. Jose Miranda reached on a two-out infield hit and Farmer walked. Skubal then retired Austin Martin on a comebacker.

The Tigers scored another run in the fourth. Torkelson led off with a single and advanced to third on a Carpenter single. Torkelson scored on Castro's throwing error at short, which allowed Gio Urshela to reach base.

The Tigers increased the lead to 5-0 in the fifth. Jake Rogers drew a leadoff walk and scored on Riley Greene's RBI double to left center. Canha then walked and Torkelson had a broken-bat single to score Greene.

Kody Funderburk replaced Lopez and gave up Vierling's pinch-hit single, which scored Canha. Funderburk then set down the next three batters.

Detroit tacked on two more runs against Michael Tonkin in the sixth. Rogers was hit by a pitch and Greene walked. Canha smacked a single to right to score Rogers. Greene scored on Torkelson's infield hit.

Vierling added an RBI double in the eighth.

--Field Level Media