Dominant Start by Skubal
Tarik Skubal anchored the Detroit Tigers' pitching staff with a sharp performance on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The Tigers starter worked five innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out nine batters. Skubal (5-4) earned the win as Detroit improved to 41-50 on the season. Oakland’s pitching effort was split among three relievers. J.T. Ginn took the loss after pitching four innings and surrendering two earned runs on two hits. He dropped to 7-5 on the year. Jacob Lopez followed with three scoreless frames before giving up four earned runs on five hits. Elvis Alvarado closed out the Athletics' starting effort with a perfect inning, recording three strikeouts.
Keith Provides Early Offense
Colt Keith provided the early spark for Detroit with a powerful swing in the first inning. Keith homered to right-center field, a 427-foot shot that drove in two runs. The blast gave the Tigers an early 2-0 advantage at Comerica Park. The home run was one of two long balls hit during the contest. Oakland responded in the third inning when Bolte launched a 411-foot home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Tigers Rally in Sixth
Detroit broke the game open in the sixth inning with a five-run explosion. The inning began with Malgeri doubling to right field, allowing McKinstry to score and placing Torkelson at third. Vierling followed with a double to right, driving in two more runs to make it 5-1. Malgeri scored on the play to extend the lead, and McGonigle added an insurance run with a single to center field that scored Vierling. The Tigers held the 6-1 lead heading into the seventh inning.
Late Inning Relief and Final Score
Oakland managed to score one run in the seventh when Langeliers singled to center field, bringing Bolte home. Kurtz reached second base on the play. Detroit’s bullpen maintained the lead for the remainder of the game. Kyle Finnegan pitched one hitless inning to secure the save, his 10th of the season. Drew Anderson worked a scoreless seventh, striking out two batters. Jacob Waguespack closed the game with two perfect innings, allowing no hits or walks while recording one strikeout. The final score was 6-2. The Athletics fell to 41-50. The game drew an attendance of 28,736 at Comerica Park.
Sources
https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816053
