How Tigers Offense Saved Tarik Skubal with Two Clutch Home Runs

The Detroit Tigers picked up their ace Tarik Skubal after an uncommon game where he let up the lead in the latter half of the game.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks off the field for a pitching change during the seventh inning against Milwaukee Brewers. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers played one of their best overall games of the 2026 season on Thursday afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers, and it all started with Tarik Skubal on the mound.

More often than not, Skubal is the reason that Detroit will win games; he's not the reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner for nothing. However, the scrapiness of the Brewers' offense got to Skubal late enough to knock him out of the game and gain the lead.

Skubal exited the seventh inning, allowing three runs, which tied the game, but with Tyler Holton taking over and allowing another runner to come across to score, that fourth run was charged to the Tigers' ace.

The Tigers went into the later innings of the game down 4-3 to Milwaukee on a day when they're typically projected to win. And if Skubal wasn't able to save the day this time, it was up to the offense, which flipped the script and bailed out their ace instead of it being the other way around.

Clutch Hits Save Skubal

Detroit Tigers right fielder Jahmai Jones (18) celebrates a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Down in the eighth inning, Jahmai Jones entered the game as a pinch hitter and worked a 3-2 count. Jones has been known for crushing left-handed pitchers in his career so far, leading manager A.J. Hinch to give him the chance, and he didn't disappoint.

Jones sent the ball over the Tigers' bullpen in left field, tying the game in the eighth and saving Skubal from being on the line for the loss that frankly, he didn't deserve with how well he pitched. Jones erupted with emotion and gave Detroit life, both in the dugout and in the stands.

JAHMAI FOR THE TIE pic.twitter.com/dB1Y6uoS7a

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 23, 2026

In the past, there have been several occasions where the Tigers' offense hasn't come through on days that Skubal pitches, which leads to several levels of frustration within the fan base. The Jones home run saved the moment, but Spencer Torkelson saved the day.

Torkelson, who had been scuffling at the plate to begin the campaign, hit his first career walk-off home run, per MLB.com, and his second home run of the 2026 campaign. If there was the perfect player to save the day for Skubal and the Tigers, sending them back on the road with heads held high, it was Torkelson.

The Tigers ace surely will have to save the offense at some point down the line as the season progresses by keeping Detroit in the game, but this is one that fans should remember that baseball is a team sport, not an individual foot race.