Tarik Skubal pitched seven innings while continuing to be mentioned in trade rumors and Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a two-run homer, leading the Detroit Tigers to an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.
Skubal (11-3) gave up a career-high 10 hits, but just one run as the All-Star worked out of several early jams. He’s the first Detroit pitcher to allow 10 or more hits and one run or less since Nate Robertson in 2008.
Cleveland has dropped three straight and is just 2-7 since July 10. The teams play five more times in the next eight days.
The Guardians have been scuffling on offense, and couldn’t come up with the key hit against Skubal. Steven Kwan, the majors’ leading hitter, popped up with the bases loaded in the second and struck out with two on in the fourth.
Over the weekend, the Guardians went a combined 3 for 55 in losing two straight to the San Diego Padres.
“I felt like we had two guys on every inning,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We had a handful of these games over the last few weeks where I feel like we’re doing everything right and then just not quite getting the big hit to cash ’em in.”