It took twelve brutal innings, but the Detroit Tigers officially lost to the Baltimore Orioles 10-9 on Wednesday, a gut-wrenching defeat that truly started to spiral when Tarik Skubal left the game in the seventh. After a blowout win on Tuesday that had everyone buzzing, the Tigers were riding high, looking to snatch a series win in the day game, but man, did this one sting. Trevor Rogers was on the bump for the O’s, but the real story was supposed to be Detroit’s ace.
Skubal’s Record-Setting Exit and the Looming Question
Tarik Skubal was straight-up electric right from the jump. He carved up the first batter he saw for his 1000th career strikeout, making history in the blink of an eye. You love to see it! Pete Alonso singled right after, but Skubal locked it down, getting two quick outs to end the first. He was absolutely cruising, posting a 1-2-3 inning in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. I mean, seriously, this dude was dealing. He had that 5-0 lead feeling absolutely bulletproof by the end of the fifth. But here’s the kicker: the “hot stove” is apparently blazing, and there’s talk this could have been Skubal’s last start with the Tigers. What a way to go out, potentially, setting a career milestone only to watch your team squander a massive lead. Talk about high stakes and mixed emotions.
Offensive Fireworks and a Tough Break
The Tigers’ bats were alive, though, trying to give Skubal all the run support he needed. Spencer Torkelson blasted his 500th career hit with a single in the third, adding another milestone to the day. Matt Vierling doubled, then Javier Baez, who’s been red hot since coming back, singled to score two big runs. Baez even hustled to second thanks to a throwing error by Pete Alonso. Kevin McGonigle followed up with a sac fly, bringing Baez home. The magic was definitely happening at Comerica Park. Later, in the fifth, Vierling crushed a triple, but man, it looked like he got hurt between second and third, forcing Zach McKinstry to pinch-run and ultimately replace him. Baez stayed scorching hot, singling to score McKinstry. Gleyber Torres doubled, and Hao-Yu Lee hit a sac fly to bring in another run, pushing that lead to 5-0 by the end of the fifth. It felt like everything was going their way.
The Seventh-Inning Turning Point and What’s Next
But then the seventh inning hit, and everything flipped. Skubal was pulled, and what followed was a complete collapse, turning what should have been a solid series win into a gut-punching, 12-inning loss. That 5-0 lead? Gone. The Tigers’ momentum after Tuesday’s big win? Drained. It’s a brutal reminder of how quickly things can unravel in baseball. After Tuesday’s performance, everyone was looking for them to carry that energy forward. Now, they’re left to pick up the pieces after blowing a great start and a commanding lead. This loss has got to sting for a while.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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