Skubal leads Tigers to 7-2 win over Twins in final start before the trade deadline

DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal gave up five hits and two runs in seven strong innings in his last start before the trade deadline and the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 on Saturday night.

Javier Báez homered for the third straight game and Colt Keith had a home run and a triple for three RBIs. Báez had only homered once this season before his current streak and three of his four home runs this year have come against the Twins.

Skubal (12-3) allowed three hits, including a two-run homer, in the first inning, but held the Twins to two singles over the next six. He struck out eight and walked two.

Twins starter Joe Ryan (6-7) allowed three runs on four hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out eight.

The Twins took a 2-0 lead on Royce Lewis’ 11th homer in 26 games this season, but Mark Canha’s RBI single made it 2-1 in the bottom of the inning.

Ryan and Skubal then held hitters to 1 for 25 with three walks and 12 strikeouts from the second through fifth innings.

Matt Vierling led off the sixth with a single — Detroit’s first hit since Canha’s base hit — and Keith tied the game with a triple on the next pitch. Canha made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly.

Báez moved the lead to three runs with a two-run homer off Brock Stewart in the seventh. Keith put the Tigers up 7-2 with a 419-foot home run off Steven Okert later in the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

The Twins activated 3B Jose Miranda, who had missed the last nine games with a back strain. Miranda came into the game hitting a major league-best .415 in 27 games since June 9. INF Eduoard Julien was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul.

UP NEXT

The teams finish their season series on Sunday, with Minnesota RHP Bailey Ober (9-5, 4.04) expected to face Tigers opener LHP Tyler Holton (4-1, 2.97). With the Tigers rotation down to three healthy starters, Holton would be starting for the third time in six games.

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