ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — It was naturally a superb start by Tarik Skubal that resulted in a 2-1 Detroit Tigers win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday night that ended a season-worst six-game losing streak for the team with the best record in the major leagues. However, Skubal didn’t get credit for the victory.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and starter in Tuesday’s All-Star Game cruised into the seventh inning with a two-hit shutout and a tenuous 1-0 lead. He left with runners at the corners and two outs, and the Rangers’ Adolis García scored on a wild pitch by Tyler Holton.
But Detroit's Matt Vierling hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the eighth inning, and Will Vest entered in the eighth and got four straight outs — against the top four batters in Texas’ order — for his 16th save for the Tigers (60-40).
Skubal left the park still with 10 wins (one shy of the AL lead), 164 strikeouts (one behind Boston’s Garrett Crochet) and a 2.19 ERA (tied with Crochet for the best in the American League).
“We’re the first to 60, right? That matters more (than his personal stats),” Skubal said. “We just haven’t particularly been playing our best baseball, I don’t think, for the last couple weeks. That’s just part of the season. Not from lack of effort or anything like that. But I knew I wanted to win today. I expect every time I go out there to put our team in position to win, and we were able to do that.”
Skubal struck out 11 and walked none in his seventh double-digit strikeout game this season. His final batter was a strikeout of Jonah Heim that left him at 105 pitches, three short of his career high.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Skubal “emptied his tank” on the Heim at-bat and made the pitching change to avoid overworking him.
“If we’re going anywhere (this season), we’re going with him,” Hinch said.
Two of Texas’ four hits off Skubal were by Corey Seager, the lone left-handed hitter in the starting lineup against the lefty Skubal. Seager went 2 for 3 off Skubal, improving to 8 for 12 in his career.
Skubal said he asked Seager during last year’s All-Star festivities: “Bro, how do I get you out? Can you tell me?” Seager, Skubal said, politely declined and claimed not to see the ball well when hitting against him.
“When he’s right, the stuff he does at the dish, the best in the league,” Skubal said.
Skubal is again among the best in baseball on the mound. He did his part in ending what was the majors’ longest active losing streak, even without getting a personal W.
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Detroit Tigers' Tyler Holton pitches during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal looks to a teammate after being taken out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — When Indiana met Oregon in October, the game served as the best test yet of whether the Hoosiers were a one-year wonder or a program that was here to stay.
They met that challenge with a double-digit win that snapped Oregon's 18-game home winning streak. Next week comes a rematch with a trip to the national title game at stake.
A pair of Big Ten blowouts in Thursday's quarterfinals — Indiana 38, Alabama 3 and Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0 — set up Oregon-Indiana, Part 2 in the national semifinals at the Peach Bowl next Friday.
“Why would it be too big for them? Because the name's ‘Indiana?’” Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said after his team passed its latest big-time test and also became the first of seven teams with first-round byes in the two-year history of the playoff to win their quarterfinal.
The other semifinal will feature Miami against the winner of Thursday's late game — Ole Miss vs. Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
The top-seeded Hoosiers (14-0) opened as a four-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, in their rematch with No. 5 Oregon (13-1). The Ducks closed as 7.5-point favorites in the October meeting that Indiana won 30-20. This blowout win over the Crimson Tide might have been Indiana's most impressive performance since the win at Oregon.
In that one, Ducks defensive back Brandon Finney, who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery against Texas Tech, returned an interception for a touchdown to tie the game at 20 early in the fourth quarter. But Indiana answered with a touchdown drive, an interception and a field goal for a double-digit win over the previous season's Big Ten champion.
The most intriguing matchup in this game isn't hard to find.
Quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza of Indiana Dante Moore of Oregon are projected as the top two picks on many 2026 draft boards. Mendoza is trying to join a rarified list of quarterbacks (among them, Jameis Winston, Cam Newton and Matt Leinart) who have won the Heisman and the national title in the same season.
“It's going to be a great matchup, and all respect to them,” Mendoza said of the Ducks. “I've got to get the game plan and got to get to watching film now.”
Oregon is coming off a defensive domination of Texas Tech. The Ducks created four turnovers that led to 13 points. Moore, meanwhile, was held in relative check, throwing for 234 yards and no scores.
“We go back look at this game, say ‘What did we do really well?’” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “Let's go to the doctor, let's figure out what kind of medicine we have to take for the next game. I think that's always the best indicator of what you have to do when you start to analyze what you have in front of you.”
The 10th-seeded Hurricanes, who beat Ohio State on New Year's Eve, will be in the Fiesta Bowl next Thursday, with the tantalizing prospect of 'Canes QB Carson Beck going against the team he left after last season, the Bulldogs.
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Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) warms up before the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football playoff quarterfinal game between Georgia and Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck, right, is hugged by former NFL player Michael Irvin following the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
