Tarik Skubal Makes First Dodger Stadium Start with Dodgers LOS ANGELES -- Tarik Skubal made his first start at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, marking his debut with the team after being acquired from the Tigers on August 1. The left-hander pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits while striking out six batters on 95 pitches in a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Skubal faced early challenges in adjusting to the pressure of pitching in front of the home crowd. The Royals capitalized on his initial struggles, scoring a run in the first inning when Nick Loftin singled on a 98.5 mph fastball, followed by Bobby Witt Jr. reaching on a fielder’s choice and stealing second. Jac Caglianone then drove in the first run with an RBI single on a 97.8 mph sinker, giving Kansas City an early 1-0 lead. The Royals extended their advantage in the third inning, with Loftin doubling to lead off the frame and Caglianone launching a two-run home run to right-center on a 91.5 mph slider. The blast, which expanded the Royals’ lead to 3-0, highlighted Skubal’s difficulty in locating his fastball early in the game. However, the left-hander gradually settled into his rhythm, retiring the side in order on just seven pitches in the fourth inning by striking out Michael Massey on a 98.6 mph four-seamer. He continued to dominate in the fifth, working around two runners on base before ending his outing by striking out Caglianone on an 88.6 mph changeup. Postgame, Skubal acknowledged the adrenaline of pitching in front of the home crowd for the first time. “I’d be lying [if I said I didn’t feel nerves],” he said. “I think nerves are a good thing. The day I’m pitching and I don’t have nerves is probably the day I retire, because I think having nerves just means you care. ... This one was special to me.#tarik_skubal #bobby_witt_jr #dodgers #kansas_city_royals #nick_loftin
