DETROIT — Tarik Skubal allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings and the Detroit Tigers took another step toward an improbable postseason appearance with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.
Skubal (18-4), a leading candidate to win the AL Cy Young award, struck out seven batters while walking only one. He will get a chance for a 19th win on Sunday if the Tigers need him to beat the Chicago White Sox on the final day of the regular season to make the postseason.
The Tigers (83-74) began the day tied with Kansas City for the second and third wild-card spots — the Royals hold the tiebreaker — and one game ahead of the Minnesota Twins. Sellers at MLB’s trade deadline, Detroit is an MLB-best 28-11 since Aug. 11.
Reliever Beau Brieske retired the first five batters he faced before Brandon Lowe homered with two outs in the ninth, pulling the Rays to within 2-1, but he struck out Josh Lowe for his first save.
Tampa Bay (78-79) dropped five games behind the Tigers.
Wenceel Pérez reached base three times for Detroit, walking twice before hitting a two-run double in the fifth.
Tampa Bay starter Ryan Pepiot (8-7) allowed two runs on three hits and four walks in six innings.
The Tigers had the first good chance of the game, putting runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, but Pepiot got Colt Keith to pop out before striking out Spencer Torkelson.
Detroit loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, thanks to two walks and a single. Perez fell behind 0-2 but worked the count full before hitting a ground-rule double on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.
The game was moved up from 6:40 p.m. to 1:10 p.m because of a forecast for rain, then was delayed an hour by showers.
Detroit called up right-hander Jackson Jobe, one of baseball’s best pitching prospects, to throw of the bullpen in the season’s final week. They made room for him on the roster by designating righty Shelby Miller for assignment.
UP NEXT
The teams play the second of three games on Wednesday, with Detroit RHP Keider Montero (6-6, 4.86 ERA) facing Tampa Bay RHP Zack Littell (8-9, 3.56).
