DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Tarik Skubal won his first game of the year going five innings with nine strike outs as Detroit won their 46th game of the year, 5-1. Skubal recorded nine strikeouts allowing just two hits retiring 15 of the 17 batters faced including five straight from the second to third innings.

“He was dominant. Period. That’s the quote. That’s as good as he’s been since coming back,” said Detroit manager A.J. Hinch.

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The first four batters were retired in the game with a one-two-three first inning. The first hit for the Giants came in the second but the next five batters were retired with another one-two-three inning in the third.

Skubal followed saying, “I feel like I was on attack mode the whole game, felt like my command got better as the game went on. It was good to adjust from the last one into this one, for sure.

Overall, Detroit had 15 strikeouts in the game as Jose Cisnero, Tyler Holton, and Jason Foley all had two strikeouts each. San Francisco, who is 4.5 games back in the AL West with a 54-47 record, was held to just four hits in the game.

Riley Greene posted three hits in four at-bats with two runs scored. Kerry Carpenter collected two RBI along with Zack Short. Spencer Torkelson added one RBI. Short recorded a home run as both Torkelson and Carpenter had two hits.

Torkelson singled in Greene in the first inning for the early lead, 1-0. In the third inning, Carpenter singled in a run making it, 2-0. He then singled in Greene in the fifth inning as Detroit went up, 3-0. Short’s home run came in the eighth inning for a 5-1 final.

Detroit will host the Angels on Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. in the first of a three-game series.