Recap: Strong pitching helps Tigers shut out White Sox, 1-0, on Opening Day

The 2024 season got off to a good start for the Detroit Tigers, as their pitching helped lead to a 1-0 Opening Day victory over the Chicago White Sox.

The Tigers got their 11th Opening Day shutout and first one since 2019 in a great performance from their pitching staff. Tarik Skubal got the starting nod and showed why, going six innings with six strikeouts and allowing just three hits. Shelby Miller, Andrew Chafin, and Jason Foley finished the job, with all three relievers allowing no hits with five combined strikeouts. The Tigers ended the game by retiring the last 17 White Sox batters.

There wasn't much on offense for the Tigers, but there were still good signs. Javier Báez scored the only run of the game, reaching first off a single before stealing second and heading home on a groundout and a sacrifice fly. Colt Keith had a small fielding mistake in the first inning, but got his first major-league hit in top of the fourth. Spencer Torkelson was the only player with multiple hits for either team.

The Tigers take a one day rest before finishing the three-game opening series over the weekend.

Final: Tigers 1, White Sox 0

Chafin stays in and gets Benintendi to swing and miss low for the first out. But he only gets one batter as Hinch comes for a mound visit and sends out Jason Foley to get the final two outs. Foley gets Yoan Moncada to look at a 100mph fastball for a third strike, then gets Robert Jr. to swing at 101mph for the final out as the Tigers get the Opening Day shutout in a 1-0 victory.

Mid 9th

Dominic Leone with take over in the ninth inning after Kopech got out of that jam in the top of the eighth. Keith, Rogers, and Baez go down in quick at-bats as the Tigers have one more frame to close out an Opening Day win.

End 8th

Andrew Chafin takes the mound and starts off with a nasty strikeout on Kevin Pillar, then Chafin gets the next two batters out on a groundout and a lineout. The Tigers' pitching staff have now retired 14 straight batters without a hit as we've reached the final inning.

Mid 8th

Michael Kopech replaces Garcia on the mound for the White Sox. Meadows grounds out, then Carpenter gets hit in the elbow on a pitch and goes to first. Torkelson singles on a 2-2 pitch as we have runners on first and second base for the first time today. Greene lines out to Benintendi, then Kopech walks Cahna (it's the first walk of the entire game) to load the bases with two outs. Kopech gets a mound visit but stays in the game and gets Vierling to strike on a low slider. Tigers still up 1-0.

End 7th

Now Shelby Miller comes in for Skubal, who leaves after six scoreless innings and giving up just three hits with six strikeouts. Miller continues to keep the White Sox scoreless with a 1-2-3 outing as we reach the final two innings of this Opening Day game.

Mid 7th

Deivi Garcia comes in for Crochet, who is done after six innings and giving up one run on five hits. Keith lines out to a good cut-off play from Benintendi, then Garcia strikes out Rogers and Baez for another scoreless inning.

End 6th

Skubal follows that up with two ground outs and gets Robert Jr. to fly out on a changeup as Skubal keeps the White Sox scoreless through six innings.

Mid 6th

Greene and Mark Cahna both ground out, then Vierling strikes out looking as Crochet has bounced back from his rocky third inning to keep this a one-run game for the White Sox.

End 5th

Another strong inning for Skubal as he goes three up and three down in the frame, which included a highlight diving catch by Riley Greene in left field. This game's going by quickly as we're already to the sixth inning.

Mid 5th

Baez flies out, Meadows strikes out, and Ibanez gets the only hit of the inning as the Tigers hold on to their slim lead in this pitchers duel.

End 4th

Skubal allows a single off Eloy Jimenez, but strikes out the other three (including a generously called one on Vaughn) as he's up to five strikeouts now.

Mid 4th

Big milestone as Keith gets his first major-league hit on a chopper down the middle, but that's the only hit for the Tigers in the top of the fourth. Crochet has six strikeouts so far in his first major-league start.

End 3rd

Skubal still looks strong with a quick 1-2-3 inning with 43 pitches and two strikeouts through his first three innings. Tigers offense looks to add on more runs in the top of the fourth.

Mid 3rd

Spencer Torkelson gets a ball to drop for a hit as we aren't done yet in this top of this frame. Riley Greene strikes out on a low slider as the Tigers take a 1-0 lead.

Baez, Tigers score first

Javier Baez opens the top of the third with a single then steals second base. A Parker Meadows groundout sends Baez to third, and an Ibanez sacrifice fly sends Baez home for the first run of the Tigers season.

End 2nd

Andrew Vaughn hits a single down the middle, but Skubal gets three straight outs as we are still scoreless through two innings.

Mid 2nd

Matt Vierling singles for the Tigers' first hit of the day, but gets stranded as Crochet is up to three strikeouts in two innings.

End 1st

Skubal gets two quick outs but Cole Keith makes a rookie mistake in his first MLB start, allowing Luis Robert Jr. to reach first. Skubal gets a pop-out on the next batter as we move to the second inning.

Mid 1st

Crochet strikes out two as the Tigers don't get on base in the first inning. Skubal will take the mound in the bottom of the first.

First Pitch

Garrett Crochet takes the mound as Andy Ibanez will be the first batter up for the Tigers. Let's get the 2024 season started.

Pregame

The Detroit Tigers open their season on the road for the second straight year, this time starting the 2024 campaign at the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

The Tigers are entering this season with higher expectations, following a 78-84 record in 2023 that was good enough for second place in the American League Central Division, which was manager AJ Hinch's best mark since taking the job in 2021. The franchise hopes players like Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter can continue their growth and help the Tigers earn their first playoff berth in a decade.

While the Tigers are projected to improve their record, the White Sox are predicted to stay down in the standings, after a fourth-place finish in the division last year. After winning the AL Central in 2021, Chicago hasn't been able to keep up that momentum before bottoming out last year and staring at a rebuild in 2024.

It'll be a lefty-versus-lefty matchup for starting pitchers, as Tarik Skubal earned the start for Opening Day this year after a strong 2023 run. Even though his first start came in July after a return from injury, he finished 7-3 in his 15 starts, including winning four of his last five starts with a 0.90 ERA. The White Sox will have Garrett Crochet take the mound, as he'll make his first appearance as a starter after being a reliever for the past few years.

Tigers at White Sox

▶ First pitch: 4:10 p.m. Thursday, Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago

▶ TV/radio: BSD/97.1

▶ Starting pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal vs. White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet