Andrés Giménez, Steven Kwan and David Fry loaded the bases with one out on three singles, setting up Skubal against All-Star José Ramírez. Skubal tried to challenge Ramírez inside with a 99.9 mph fastball but hit Cleveland’s slugger on the hand to plate Cleveland’s first run and tie the game at 1.

In his previous two postseason outings – both wins for Detroit – Skubal had pitched a combined 13 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out 14 batters. In Game 5, he ran that scoreless inning streak up to 17 innings.

"He loves competition," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "He’s into it as much as anybody that I’ve ever put on the mound.”