Riding the wave of an improbable September surge that secured the franchise’s first postseason berth in a decade, the Detroit Tigers collected yet another memorable victory Tuesday, with a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the American League Wild-Card Series.
The Tigers, with a roster loaded with rookies who barely knew what it meant to still be playing at this point in the calendar, appeared to be substantial underdogs as they arrived in Houston to face a team that has become synonymous with postseason baseball. Yet in this laughably lopsided matchup in terms of October experience, ace left-hander Tarik Skubal proved to be the ultimate equalizer for Detroit.
Houston’s roster boasted not only a boatload more playoff experience — the Astros’ wild-card roster features a staggering 581 combined career postseason games, compared to just 12 on Detroit’s — but also a far more compelling collection of statistical standouts on both sides of the ball. On paper, the Astros had nearly every edge, with one glaring exception: Skubal. And so, it was on the 27-year-old southpaw to deliver the goods in his first career playoff start.
And that he did. Skubal sliced and diced through some of the best bats in the AL with exceptional command of his overwhelming four-pitch mix, single-handedly expediting Detroit toward the finish line of victory with each passing frame.
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