MLB playoff results, live updates: Tigers look to knock Astros out of postseason

Riding on the wave of an improbable September rally that secured the franchise's first postseason berth in a decade, the Detroit Tigers picked up another memorable win on Tuesday, with a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series.

The Tigers, whose roster is full of rookies who barely knew what it meant to be playing at this point in the calendar, appeared to be significant underdogs when they arrived in Houston to face a team that has become synonymous with postseason play. Baseball has become. But in this ridiculously one-sided matchup given October's experience, star left-hander Tarik Skubal proved to be the ultimate equalizer for Detroit.

Houston's roster boasted not only a ton more playoff experience – the Astros' wild-card squad has a whopping 581 career postseason games combined, compared to just 12 for Detroit – but also a far more compelling collection of statistical standouts at both ends sides of the ball. On paper, the Astros had almost every advantage, with one glaring exception: Skubal. And so it was the 27-year-old southpaw's job to deliver in his first career playoff start.

And he did. Skubal sliced ​​and diced through some of the AL's best hitters, displaying exceptional command of his overpowering four-pitch mix and single-handedly pushing Detroit toward the finish line of victory with each run.

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