Skubal throws 5 scoreless innings, Canha homers and Tigers beat Twins 8-2 in series opener

Skubal throws 5 scoreless innings, Canha homers and Tigers beat Twins 8-2 in series opener

DETROIT — Mark Canha hit a solo homer in first inning, Tarik Skubal pitched five scoreless innings and the Detroit Tigers went on to beat the Minnesota Twins 8-2 Friday night.

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Canha, Spencer Torkelson and Matt Vierling each had two hits and two RBIs, helping Detroit pull away with six runs from the fourth to the the sixth inning.

Skubal gave up just two hits and two walks while striking out five. Alex Faedo, Andrew Chafin and Will Vest followed in relief.

Pablo Lopez gave up five runs on six hits and three walks over four innings and had seven strikeouts.

Minnesota had six hits, including a pair of doubles, and is batting a major league-low .184 They were held scoreless until the ninth when Kyle Farmer hit an RBI double and Edouard Julien followed with a run-scoring single.

A familiar face in the bullpen didn't do his part to keep the game potentially within reach.

Right-hander Michael Tonkin, acquired from the New York Mets to aid an injury-depleted bullpen on Tuesday, allowed two runs, two hits and two walks in two innings in his first appearance for Minnesota since 2017.

Minnesota, which won the AL Central last season and advanced in the playoffs for the first time in two-plus decades, lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Detroit, hoping to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade, have has two straight for the first time since a 5-0 start.

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Twins shortstop Carlos Correa left the game with an oblique strain after striking out in the third inning.

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Tigers RHP Kenta Maeda is scheduled to face his former team, which plans to have RHP RHP Joe Ryan pitch in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday.

RHP Matt Manning, who walked four and didn't give up a hit over 5 2/3 innings last week against the New York Mets, is Detroit's probable pitcher in the second game and Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson is expected to make his season debut.

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