Tarik Skubal fans 10, Tigers end 9-game road skid with 4-1 win over Red Sox

By: Ken Powtak, The Associated Press Posted: 5:53 PM CDT Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026 Last Modified: 7:10 PM CDT Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

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BOSTON (AP) — Tarik Skubal struck out a season-high 10 over six innings of one-run ball, Kerry Carpenter hit a solo homer and the Detroit Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Saturday, ending their nine-game road losing streak.

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It was the Tigers’ longest winless road stretch since a 10-gamer in 2010. Rookie Kevin McGonigle had an RBI single and two hits.

The 29-year-old Skubal (3-2) held the Red Sox to four hits and had the 18th double-digit strikeout game of his career, with 10 coming last season.

Detroit Tigers' Tyler Holton delivers a pitch to a Boston Red Sox batter in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Tyler Holton worked two scoreless innings and Kenley Jansen got the final three outs for his fifth save, the 481st of his career.

Boston starter Brayan Bello (1-2) was roughed up for four runs in four innings. The Red Sox have lost all 12 games this season when their starter doesn’t go at least six innings and won all eight when they do.

With the Tigers leading 1-0, Carpenter sparked a three-run fourth by hitting Bello’s changeup into Detroit’s bullpen. Jake Rogers added a sacrifice fly and McGonigle had his run-scoring single.

In a victory over Miami in his previous start on Sunday, Skubal had a no-hit bid broken up with two outs in the sixth inning.

The AL’s back-to-back Cy Young Award winner took a no-hitter into the fifth Saturday before Wilyer Abreu had a leadoff single up-the-middle. The Red Sox loaded the bases with no outs but managed only a run on Connor Wong’s double-play grounder.

Coming off a 1-0 walk-off win in the series opener Friday, Boston’s bats were quiet again after collecting just four hits the previous night.

Up next

With rain in the forecast, the starting time Sunday was moved back from 1:35 p.m. to 4:35 p.m. Tigers LHP Framber Valdez (1-1, 3.75 ERA) was slated to face Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet (2-2, 7.58), coming off the worst start in club history.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb