Skubal throws 5 scoreless innings, Canha homers and Tigers beat Twins 8-2 in series opener

DETROIT (AP) — Mark Canha hit a solo homer in first inning, Tarik Skubal pitched five scoreless innings and the Detroit Tigers went on to beat the Minnesota Twins 8-2 Friday night.

Canha, Spencer Torkelson and Matt Vierling each had two hits and two RBIs, helping Detroit pull away with six runs from the fourth to the the sixth inning.

“This is the first game in a while that we got it rolling like that,” Canha said.

Despite striking out 15 times, Detroit set a season high for runs.

Skubal (2-0) gave up just two hits and two walks while striking out five.

“He was great,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “Everything that he did was vintage Tarik. He dominated the strike zone. His misses were near-misses. He was relentless at coming at guys.”

Skubal, though, was not as impressed with his outing.

“I didn't have the best feel for the fastball, but the changeup kind of made up for it,” he said.

Pablo Lopez (1-2) gave up five runs on six hits and three walks over four innings and had seven strikeouts in a 98-pitch outing.

“The batters were able to identify that I was missing my spot with my pitches, and they were letting me play me pitch,” he said. “My pitch count ran very high, which is not what I wanted to do, especially after having eight days' rest.”

Minnesota had six hits, including a pair of doubles, and is batting a major league-low .184. They were held scoreless until the ninth when Kyle Farmer hit an RBI double and Edouard Julien followed with a run-scoring single.

A familiar face in the bullpen didn't do his part to keep the game potentially within reach.

Right-hander Michael Tonkin, acquired from the New York Mets to aid an injury-depleted bullpen on Tuesday, allowed two runs, two hits and two walks in two innings in his first appearance for Minnesota since 2017.

Minnesota, which won the AL Central last season and advanced in the playoffs for the first time in two-plus decades, lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Detroit, hoping to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade, has two straight victories for the first time since a 5-0 start.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins shortstop Carlos Correa left the game with an oblique strain after striking out in the third inning.

“It's like a gut punch,” outfielder Byron Buxton said.

The banged-up Twins have been without infielder Royce Lewis, who was put on the injured list two weeks ago with strained quadriceps.

FOUL WEATHER

The game started on a 50-degree night, with wind chill making it feel 10 degrees colder, and 40-plus mph wind gusts after a rain delay that lasted 1 hour and 5 minutes.

“I had a heater right next to me,” Hinch said. “It’s just April in Michigan."

UP NEXT

Tigers RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 9.00) is scheduled to face his former team, which plans to have RHP RHP Joe Ryan (0-1, 3.18) pitch in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday.

RHP Matt Manning, who walked four and didn't give up a hit over 5 2/3 innings last week against the New York Mets, is Detroit's probable pitcher in the second game and Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson is expected to make his season debut.

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Minnesota Twins pitcher Michael Tonkin throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Andrew Chafin throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo López is relieved during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson breaks his bat as he gets a RBI single to right during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers designated hitter Kerry Carpenter is tagged out by Minnesota Twins third baseman Kyle Farmer during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo López throws during the first inning of a baseball gamekk against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Mark Canha points as he rounds the bases after a solo hoome run off Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo López during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

CVS Health missed first-quarter expectations and chopped its 2024 outlook more than a dollar below Wall Street’s forecast.

Shares of the health care giant plunged Wednesday morning after the company said it was still struggling with rising costs from care use in its Medicare Advantage business.

Medicare Advantage plans are privately run versions of the federal government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older.

CVS Health said it now expects adjusted earnings to be at least $7, down its previous forecast of at least $8.30.

For the full year, analysts expect earnings of $8.27 per share, according to FactSet.

The guidance reduction was much more significant than expected, according to Leerink analyst Michael Cherny. He said in a research note that it raises questions about the company’s path to reaching its previously stated goal of double-digit growth in earnings per share next year.

In the first quarter, CVS Health booked adjusted earnings of $1.31 per share on total revenue of $88.4 billion.

Analysts expected earnings of $1.69 per share on $89.33 billion in revenue for the first quarter, according to FactSet.

CVS Health Corp. runs one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains and a huge pharmacy benefit management business that operates prescription drug coverage for big clients like insurers and employers. It also sells health insurance through its Aetna arm.

Shares of the Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based company were down 11% to $60 in premarket trading.

FILE - A sign marks a CVS branch on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Pasadena, Calif. CVS Health reports earnings on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)