Tarik Skubal hardly ever walks anybody. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner boasted one of baseball’s best walk rates last season, and entering Wednesday night he’d only issued one free pass in his last six starts.
Yet with his team leading by three in the top of the seventh inning, Skubal walked Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez.
In an instant the game completely changed, but while the Red Sox were able to capitalize in the moment, they couldn’t quite finish the job.
Boston rallied for three runs to tie the game against the Tigers’ ace, but the club couldn’t get the go-ahead run across and ultimately lost 6-5 on a walk-off single by Justyn-Henry Malloy.
It was Detroit’s second consecutive walk-off win, capping off a three-game sweep.
Boston broke the ice against Skubal in the top of the first, getting a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly by Rob Refsnyder to take a 1-0 lead. Detroit tied the game on a Trey Sweeney RBI single in the second, with Riley Greene making an incredible slide around Narvaez to beat the tag at home plate.
After the first Skubal was largely in control, except for when Alex Bregman came to the plate. The Red Sox third baseman singled on the first pitch in his first at bat, and his next time up in the fourth he ambushed the Tigers lefty on the first pitch again for a solo shot that put Boston back in front 2-1.
That prompted a series of humorous interactions between the two that were captured by the NESN broadcast. Following the home run Skubal appeared to tell Bregman to take a pitch. Then after Bregman singled on the second pitch his next time up, the Tigers ace turned to him at first base and told him to take two next time.
Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins held his own but wasn’t able to keep the Tigers at bay. Detroit tied the game in the fourth after getting two men on and a runner home on a Dillon Dingler double play, and in the sixth the Tigers delivered the knockout blow in the form of a two-run home run by Greene.
Dingler added a sacrifice fly later in the inning off Justin Wilson, closing the book on Dobbins and sticking him with five earned runs in five-plus innings on nine hits, no walks and four strikeouts.
Most of the time that would’ve been all she wrote with Skubal still on the mound, but the Red Sox had one last counterpunch up their sleeve.
After Trevor Story flew out to lead off the seventh, Nick Sogard singled and Narvaez won a seven-pitch battle to draw the first walk anyone’s had against Skubal since April 20. Then with two on and one out, Ceddanne Rafaela delivered the knockout blow with an RBI single to chase Skubal from the game.
Tigers reliever Tyler Holton promptly allowed back-to-back RBI singles to Jarren Duran and Rafael Devers, tying the game at 5-5. Skubal finished with five earned runs allowed in 6.1 innings on seven hits, one walk and 11 strikeouts, and it was the first time he’s allowed five or more runs since Aug. 2, 2024.
Bregman drew a walk to load the bases, marking his fourth time reaching base safely, but the Red Sox couldn’t take the lead. Wilyer Abreu pinch hit for Refsnyder but grounded into an inning-ending double play to leave the game tied.
Abreu almost immediately redeemed himself.
In one of the most preposterous plays you’ll ever see at the ballpark, Abreu and Ceddanne Rafeala teamed up to rob Kerry Carpenter of what would have been the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the seventh. Abreu leapt up against the wall and batted the ball back into play, landing right in Rafaela’s waiting hands.
Boston had one more golden opportunity to complete the comeback in the ninth but couldn’t get the go-ahead runner home. Narvaez and Rafaela each singled to start the inning, but after Duran lined out to deep left to advance the runner and put men at the corners with one out, Devers struck out and Bregman grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
That set the stage for the Tigers in the bottom of the frame, and after Andy Ibanez drew a leadoff walk and reached third on a stolen base and an error, all Detroit needed was a base hit to complete the sweep.
Malloy delivered, dropping the Red Sox (22-23) back below .500 in the process.