Surging Cubs clash with Tarik Skubal, Tigers in series opener

The Detroit Tigers traditionally hold a fireworks show after Friday home games. This week's display will be preceded by the league's most feared flamethrower.

Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will start the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch didn't do the visitors any favors by giving Skubal five days off since his last start on Saturday. Skubal has overwhelmed the opposition in his last two starts, giving up just four hits and issuing no walks while posting 20 strikeouts in 16 scoreless frames.

Skubal (5-2, 2.26 ERA) followed up the first complete-game shutout of his career against Cleveland on May 25 with seven dominant innings at Kansas City. He was denied his sixth win of the season as the Tigers failed to score a run.

Skubal was pulled after 90 pitches in the 1-0 loss.

"I felt good but I trust what A.J. does," Skubal said. "He's always got a really good plan and I trust the guys in the bullpen. I am always trying to pitch as deep as I can and then turn it over to those guys. They've been really good. Giving up one run shouldn't lose a lot of games."

His last outing at Detroit's Comerica Park was a masterpiece. He needed only 94 pitches during his 13-strikeout shutout. His last pitch was clocked at 102.6 MPH.

In 16 home starts last season, Skubal was 10-1 with a 1.99 ERA while recording 117 strikeouts in 104 innings. In six starts at Comerica this season, he's 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA while racking up 57 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings.

He's 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two career outings against the Cubs.

Chicago will counter with right-hander Ben Brown (3-3, 5.72 ERA), who bounced back impressively from two terrible outings with arguably the best of his career.

After the Cubs used a one-inning opener, Brown entered the game against Cincinnati and tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out nine.

Less than a week earlier, Brown gave up eight runs in 4 1/3 innings to Reds. He surrendered six runs in 4 2/3 innings at Miami on May 19.

Coming in during the second inning solved a big issue for Brown.

"There's been a real lapse of execution in the first innings this year for me, and it's been hard," Brown said. "I think we can even date back to last year. It was almost like I was waiting for something good to happen in the first inning, rather than me being on the attack."

Brown will be facing Detroit for the first time after the confidence-builder.

"Ben pitched great. Absolutely his best (outing) of the year," manager Craig Counsell said. "On the attack. Aggressive. Just in the strike zone a whole bunch. Controlling counts a whole bunch. It was an outstanding performance."

The Cubs have won 11 of their last 14 games, including a 7-1 victory over Washington on Thursday. Detroit dropped a 3-2, 10-inning decision to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon.

"We were pretty sluggish today," Hinch said. "That's pretty much the bottom line of how the day went."