Skubal works 7 strong innings, Meadows makes homer-saving catch as the Tigers beat Mariners 6-2

SEATTLE (AP) — Tarik Skubal allowed two runs over seven innings, Parker Meadows made a homer-saving catch in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Wednesday night.

“It was a huge play, a game-changer,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “When the ball is hit to center, I feel settled because you feel like Parker is going to make (the catch).”

Skubal (13-4) was overpowering in stretches. The 27-year-old left-hander allowed three hits, struck out nine and continued to strengthen his resume in the AL Cy Young Award conversation.

But Meadows' catch will be the lasting image of the game as Seattle fell out of first place in the AL West, slipping a half-game behind Houston.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and Seattle trailing 3-2, Cal Raleigh drove Jason Foley’s slider to deep center field. Meadows tracked the ball, timed his jump perfectly and was well above the top of the wall when the ball dropped into his glove.

“My job was to get to the wall and get to a spot, look up and find it,” Meadows said. “In that situation, it is pretty cool. You saw the emotions; I don’t do that very often.”

Raleigh homered in the fourth inning, with Randy Arozarena aboard, for the only blemish on Skubal’s otherwise terrific outing.

Skubal, who pitched collegiately a couple of miles away at Seattle University, retired the first 10 batters he faced and moved into a tie with three other pitchers for the most wins in baseball.

“It is always fun for me to throw here,” Skubal said. “I (have) to try and not make the game bigger than it already is. I enjoy it.”

Wenceel Pérez led off the game with a home run and Jake Rogers added a solo shot in the fourth inning. Matt Vierling and Gio Urshela had RBI singles in the ninth inning as the Tigers scored three times on the heels of Meadows' catch.

Seattle's George Kirby labored to get through five innings, throwing 97 pitches, 65 for strikes. Kirby (8-8) struck out seven and gave up three runs.

“It is one of those games where you got to keep it close,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “We did everything right, they just made a play. It happens in the major leagues every once in a while. (Meadows) made an outstanding play.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (hamstring) will throw a couple innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Toledo on Thursday, and his pitch efficiency will be monitored, according to Hinch. … OF Riley Greene (hamstring) is still not running bases and Hinch said a rehab assignment is “not imminent.” … OF Kerry Carpenter (lumbar spine stress fracture) went 1 for 4 in his rehab start with Triple-A Toledo, and Hinch said he came out “fine” from the game.

Mariners: OF Julio Rodriguez was doing outfield work with the rest of the team on Wednesday. Servais declined comment on the subject until he spoke with the trainer.

ROSTER MOVE

Mariners: Seattle recalled INF Ryan Bliss from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday. Bliss returns to the Mariners after hitting .220 with seven RBIs in 31 games. In a corresponding move, OF Cade Marlowe was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

UP NEXT

Seattle will throw RHP Bryan Woo (5-1, 2.08 ERA) in the series finale against Detroit on Thursday. The Tigers have not made a decision on Thursday’s starter.

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

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows watches the home fun ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh during the fourth inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits a two-run home run on a pitch from Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal during the fourth inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling dives into home to score on a double hit by Bligh Madris against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Detroit Tigers' Jake Rogers points to the sky after hitting a solo home run on a pitch from Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby during the fourth inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez throws against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows, left, reacts with right fielder Wenceel Pérez after catching a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh during the eighth inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows leaps and catches a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh during the eighth inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Carla Bernat Escuder wasn't worried about anyone behind her, only those who were ahead. Thanks to a flop shot she only recently mastered, birdies on all the par 5s and a nervy 4-foot par putt to finish, the Spaniard stood alone at the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Bernat Escuder rallied from a two-shot deficit against defending champion Lottie Woad and held off a late charge from teenager Asterisk Talley, closing with a 4-under 68 to add to the Spanish heritage at the home of the Masters.

“As of right now, I don’t think my brain has processed that I won,” said Bernat Escuder, a senior at Kansas State.

She grew up in the same region as Masters champion Sergio Garcia, and his father still coaches and encourages her. She was so nervous meeting two-time champion Jose Maria Olazabal last year that she got his name wrong.

Key to this win was U.S. Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester — also from Castellon — who makes his Masters debut this week. They have been friends since age 7, and she went to him with help on her chipping.

It paid off in a big way with her flop shot from a dangerous spot right of the 10th green, setting up a par that kept her momentum all the way to end.

She left her approach right of the bunker, with the golf ball slightly above her feet. Bernat Escuder hit a marvelous flop shot to 12 feet and holed the par putt.

“If there was one shot that you’re going to need the hands back to hit it higher, as he tells me, it’s this one,” she said. “So yeah, I appreciate that tip.”

She has watched the Masters enough to have ingrained in her mind that it doesn't start until the back nine. And there she was, leading by one after a 33 on the front nine and starting at a probably bogey until her flop shot came off beautifully.

The 10th hole was more pivotal than she realized.

Woad was looking to become the first back-to-back winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur. She was tied for the lead with Kiara Romero going into the final group, birdied the first hole and led by two early. But it all came undone on the 10th.

From the fairway, she was aggressive with her approach and tugged the shot left and over the green, into a bush. Woad had to take a penalty drop, chipped on and missed the putt, giving her a double bogey and leaving her three shots behind.

“I put a good swing on it, it was just the wrong club,” said Woad, who went with a 5-iron. “Thought it was meant to be into the wind, and off the downslope it came out a bit too flat, so probably should have just hit one less club. Then got in an unfortunate position, so probably was always going to make 6 from there.”

She had to chase, just like a year ago when she delivered a memorable back-nine charge. This time, she could only manage two birdies and closed with a 72 to finish third.

“Pretty frustrated,” Woad said.

The charge came from Talley, the U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Junior Girls runner-up, who began the final round by holing out from the first fairway for eagle.

Coming off a birdie at the 16th to get to within three shots, Talley hit a remarkable recovery from under the pines left of the 17th fairway. The ball stayed under the limbs and rolled up along the edge of the bunker, using all of the slope to get to about 18 feet behind the hole.

Instead of scrambling for par, she holed the putt for birdie to give herself a chance.

Talley, however, was too strong with her approach on the 18th, leaving the ball on the top tier with the hole some 40 feet away in its typical Masters Sunday location. She did well to two-putt for par and a 68.

“I was just trying to shoot my score and having a lot of fun,” Talley said.

In the group behind was Bernat Escuder, who also was in the trees on the 17th, put it in a bunker and made bogey. That cut her lead to one shot with one hole to play.

The Spaniard found the fairway, also hit onto the top tier and navigated a 4-foot par putt to finish at 12-under 204 and claim what already has become as prestigious as any women's amateur event in the world.

Eila Galitsky started seven shots behind, shot 31 on the front nine and closed with the low round of the day at 66 to tie for fourth with Catherine Park (67).

How to celebrate? Bernat Escuder planned a nice dinner with her coach and all her support.

“And maybe a tattoo. We’ll see,” she said. “I was thinking maybe the flower of Augusta, but I need to decide on that. It’s a big decision.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Asterisk Talley hits from the second tee during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Asterisk Talley reacts after hitting on the first hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Lottie Woad, of England, follows her shot on the fourth green during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Lottie Woad, of England, lines up her shot on the 12th green during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, pumps her fist after making her shot on the 15th green during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, walks across the bridge along the 13th fairway during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, celebrates after winning the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, follows her shot from the 18th fairway during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)