Tarik Skubal matched Hunter Brown in a classic pitching duel, carving seven scoreless frames with 10 strikeouts as Detroit and Houston played to a 0-0 tie into extras. Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan kept the gates shut for Detroit, setting the stage for a dramatic 10th inning. Gleyber Torres drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, forcing home the automatic runner for a walk-off 1-0 win that kept Detroit within a single game of a series sweep and strengthened their hold on the season-series edge for potential postseason seeding.

The defeat stalled Houston’s offense, which had multiple chances early against Skubal and Brown but could not break through. Detroit’s offense finally delivered in the 10th, backing a Cy Young-caliber start with a timely walk and clutch decision by Torres. The Tigers’ defense came through, too, with Wenceel Pérez robbing a homer and a relay throw stopping a ninth-inning threat. For fantasy managers, Skubal’s elite strikeout pace and Torres’ late-clutch approach provide a pair of provocative signals for lineup construction down the stretch.

In a marquee AL clash, the result underscores the strategic chess match between two teams with playoff ambitions. Detroit’s win-notes highlight a rotation that can carry the club late into the season, while Houston will look to reassert its usual threat in the coming games. The series shifts to a possible Sunday finish, with both clubs sending their top arms to the mound as the title chase tightens and fantasy rosters recalibrate around hot hands and bullpen usage in high-leverage moments.