Tigers' Tarik Skubal flirts with no-hitter in win, yields first 3-0 count hit in five years originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning Saturday at Fenway Park, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal yielded a leadoff single to Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu. The back-to-back Cy Young award winner could have lost his focus.Still missing a no-hitter on his seven-year MLB resume, Skubal missed on his first three offerings to next-batter Ceddanne Rafaela.

He then did something he hadn't done in five seasons, surrendering a hit on a 3-0 count.Rafaela launched a 92-mph four-seam "get me over" fastball off the "Green Monster," settling for a double. Taking advantage of a rare Skubal lapse, the Red Sox loaded the bases with zero out when Caleb Dubin earned a four-pitch walk.Skubal regrouped and induced Connor Wong to ground into a run-scoring double play. Isiah Kiner-Falefa flew out to center to end the inning.Skubal (3-2) rebounded and finished with 10 strikeouts in six innings as the Tigers ended a nine-game road losing streak with a 4-1 victory.Tigers' Tarik Skubal suffers rare lapse on 3-0 pitchRafaela's hit on Skubal's three-ball, no-strike pitch was the first Skubal surrendered since Cleveland Guardians' Jose Rameriz singled May 25, 2021.The 29-year-old left-hander yielded just four hits Saturday and reached double-digits in strikeouts for the 18th time in his career. He accomplished the feat 10 times last season.A two-time All-Star, Skubal rarely loses focus as he did in the fifth inning Saturday, but he recovered in the sixth to collect two swinging strikeouts and a groundout to end his quality start.Was the free-agent-to-be bothered by losing his no-hit bid?Perhaps, but by regaining his on-mound composure, Skubal demonstrated why he's prepared to command one of the richest free-agent contracts in league history next offseason.Wonder what the morning sports-betting odds will be for the next time Skubal allows a hit off a 3-0 pitch?