Tarik Skubal Throws Season-Best Eight Innings as Dodgers Extend Win Streak to Six

The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their hottest stretch of the season Tuesday night, beating the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 at Dodger Stadium for their sixth straight win. The victory tied a season high for consecutive wins and was powered by left-hander Tarik Skubal, who turned in his longest start since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers last month.

Skubal allowed two earned runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking two. It marked the first time he has pitched into the eighth inning as a Dodger. The outing lowered his ERA with Los Angeles to 2.95 across seven starts, during which he has struck out 48 batters in 43 innings.

The Dodgers have won each of Skubal’s last four starts.

Skubal’s efficiency breakthrough

Since the trade, Skubal has consistently praised the quality of his stuff but noted he had not been able to pitch deep into games. He averaged roughly 5 2/3 innings per start before Tuesday, often laboring through high pitch counts. Against the Reds, he threw 93 pitches and retired the side in order only once, but he managed traffic effectively.

The lone blemish was a third-inning solo home run by shortstop Elly De La Cruz, which Statcast measured at 444 feet. Skubal allowed at least one baserunner in each inning from the second through the sixth but induced groundouts and weak contact to limit damage.

“We haven’t seen his best, and he’s still really performing,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game.

Skubal exited after inducing a groundout from Reds nine-hole hitter Héctor Rodríguez to begin the eighth inning. He received a loud ovation from the Dodger Stadium crowd as he walked off the mound.

Bullpen holds the lead

The Dodgers bullpen preserved the one-run lead. Reliever Evan Phillips recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning, and closer Blake Treinen worked a scoreless ninth for his 34th save of the season. Treinen allowed a leadoff single to Tyler Stephenson but retired the next three batters, striking out two.

The Reds threatened in the ninth when Stephenson advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Treinen stranded him there.

Key facts

Win streak context

The six-game winning streak matches the Dodgers’ longest of the season, a mark they also reached in late May. The run has pushed Los Angeles further ahead in the National League West standings, though the division lead remains narrow with the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks both hovering within striking distance.

The Dodgers have won 10 of their last 13 games overall, and the pitching staff has posted a 2.85 ERA during the six-game streak.

What the win means for the rotation

Skubal’s ability to complete seven-plus innings is significant for a rotation that has relied heavily on its bullpen. The Dodgers entered Tuesday with the fourth-highest bullpen usage in the National League over the past two weeks. Longer outings from Skubal, who has a history of durability, could help stabilize the staff heading into the final weeks of the regular season.

The Dodgers will look to make it seven straight Wednesday night when they send right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against Reds righty Hunter Greene.

Source: MLB Official News RSS – https://www.mlb.com/news/tarik-skubal-starts-for-dodgers-vs-reds-on-sept-8