Skubal shakes off 3-run first inning, then settles in to dominate for his 1st win as a Dodger

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tarik Skubal started out shaky, putting the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-0 hole in the first inning. Then, the two-time Cy Young Award winner dug in to flash the stuff that made him baseball's prize acquisition at the trade deadline.

Skubal struck out 11 — one off his season best — to earn his first win since joining the two-time defending World Series champions, 4-3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.

"That's the guy that we needed. Completing seven innings, reset the bullpen, great outing,” manager Dave Roberts said. "He’s very physical, and you can see that when he needs to reach back for more, it’s in there.”

Skubal was 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA in his first three starts with the Dodgers, who acquired him in a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Tigers earlier this month.

After a rough first inning in which he gave up three consecutive hits that led to three runs, Skubal (8-7) settled down and retired 20 of his final 23 batters. The left-hander allowed five hits with one walk.

“I’m not gonna be perfect out there, but I definitely need to be better in the first inning,” he said. "But other than that, I thought my execution was good. The stuff coming out of my hand is as good as it’s ever been.”

Skubal was still throwing hard over his final two innings, reaching 99 mph to get Jared Triolo to pop up and topping 100 mph in finishing off Jake Mangum for his final strikeout.

“I feel like I’ve always been able to sustain velocity, from pitch one to pitch however many I’m allowed to go,” he said. “When I feel confident commanding the ball, that’s when I feel like I can really start letting it rip and it’s going to go where I want it to go.”

Skubal has been studying the game-planning and bullpen sessions of his rotation mates, including fellow lefty Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He also watched Shohei Ohtani throw a live bullpen session before the game.

“We got a ton of really good arms here, a ton of talent, and it’s just about us going out there and playing baseball and executing,” he said. "When we’re doing that, we’re the best team in the league.”

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, right, gestures as Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis flies out during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal throws to the plate during the sexond inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal throws to the plate during the sexond inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

SEATTLE (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a walk-off, two-run home run as the Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4 on Saturday night.

Arozarena took Cubs closer Jacob Webb (6-3) 404 feet to straightaway center to seal the come-from-behind victory for Seattle. The Mariners trailed 4-2 entering the ninth inning, and pulled within one run on a two-out, RBI single by Leo Rivas.

Kade Anderson made his much-anticipated MLB debut, yielding three earned runs across 5 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old Anderson entered the game as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Anderson, the third overall pick in 2025, became the first player from his draft class to make his big league debut on Saturday.

Mariners reliever Michael Rucker (1-4) earned his first win of the season.

Seattle (62-68) moved three games behind Houston in the AL West and two games back for the final wild-card spot. The Cubs (74-56) dropped to a 4 1/2 -game lead in the NL wild card.

Chicago struck first against Anderson in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Alcántara. Seattle led twice before the Cubs’ three-run sixth inning, first taking a 1-0 advantage on a leadoff home run by Arozarena and then on an RBI groundout by Dominic Canzone in the fifth inning.

Mariners utilityman Brendan Donovan was a late scratch because he was hit in the head by a baseball in the batting cages before Saturday’s game. Weston Wilson started in his place at third base and batted eighth.

Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (4-7, 3.71) will start opposite Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.77) in Sunday’s series finale.

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Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch reacts while jogging the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena jumps to catch a long fly ball from Chicago Cubs' Miguel Amaya during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Kade Anderson walks back to the dugout after being pulled from the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Kade Anderson tips his cap to left fielder Randy Arozarena after he caught a long fly ball over the wall off the bat of Chicago Cubs' Miguel Amaya during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Randy Arozarena reacts after hitting a single against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)