Tigers ace Tarik Skubal shuts down Astros one fastball, one breath, and one howl at a time

HOUSTON — Let’s start with the nerves. Tarik Skubal felt them. Like he never had before. At least not since he made his major-league debut.  

Which tells us what we should’ve known all along: The best pitcher in the American League is not a cyborg. He just throws like one. And did for six electric innings Tuesday afternoon at Minute Maid Park, helping the Detroit Tigers win Game 1, 3-1, over the Houston Astros in the AL wild-card playoff series.

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