Julien’s teammates immediately jumped up in the dugout. It was the first homer Skubal, the reigning American League Cy Young winner, allowed to a lefty batter all year.
Just as stunning as Julien’s 410-foot homer, his second career homer against a lefty pitcher, the Twins didn’t stop hitting Skubal. Austin Martin laced a double to left field, and Byron Buxton followed with a single through the left side of the infield.
With runners on the corners and one out, Ryan Jeffers drove in a run on a groundout. Then Luke Keaschall poked a two-out RBI single over the head of shortstop Trey Sweeney. In total, it was a three-run, four-hit third inning off Skubal.
The Twins didn’t have more than four hits in five of their last six games against Skubal, let alone doing it all in one 29-pitch inning.
From there, Skubal looked like, well, Skubal. Julien hit a two-out single in the fourth inning, but Skubal retired 13 of his last 14 batters. He received a standing ovation from Tigers fans in the announced crowd of 24,123 after he finished the seventh inning.
Skubal struck out only three batters, his lowest total since his Opening Day start in March.