Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal proved to be a dominant force against the Boston Red Sox, leading his team to a 2-1 victory. Skubal, considered a top contender for the American League Cy Young Award, lived up to expectations by allowing only one run on four hits over eight innings while striking out eight batters. The Red Sox managed just a solo home run early in the game and were unable to mount a comeback against Skubal’s strong pitching.
Despite a solid performance from Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta, who allowed two runs over six innings, the team couldn’t overcome Skubal’s dominance. The lone highlight for the Red Sox came from Tyler O’Neill’s solo home run in the first inning. The Tigers scored both of their runs in the second inning, which proved to be enough to secure the win.
With the loss, the Red Sox fell to 70-66 for the season and finished August with a 13-15 record. The team’s bullpen showed improvement in the later innings, but they were unable to close the gap against Skubal and the Tigers. The Red Sox will look to bounce back in the next game with Cooper Criswell scheduled to start.
In other news, the Red Sox called up infielder Enmanuel Valdez and right-hander Chase Shugart as September call-ups. Valdez has performed well as a pinch hitter against right-handed pitchers, while Shugart made his MLB debut in August and showed promise in his first appearance. The additions provide the Red Sox with some depth as they look to finish the season strong.
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