Tigers Edge Guardians 2-1 in AL Wild Card Game 1 with Skubal's 14 Strikeouts

In the opening game of the 2025 AL Wild Card Series, Detroit Tigers' pitcher Tarik Skubal tied a postseason record with 14 strikeouts, leading the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Skubal dominated on the mound, pitching 7 2/3 innings with a fastball averaging 99.1 mph, while Cleveland's Gavin Williams also pitched effectively but was hampered by errors. The Tigers scored the decisive run in the seventh inning on a safety squeeze by Zach McKinstry. Cleveland's Jose Ramírez nearly tied the game in the ninth but was tagged out after a risky baserunning decision. The series is a rematch of the previous year and highlights Cleveland's remarkable comeback to win the AL Central after trailing Detroit by 15.5 games during the season. Both teams' ace pitchers, Skubal and Williams, were key focal points, with Detroit aiming to advance to the AL Division Series for the second consecutive year.