Tarik Skubal finally got his first win as a Dodger on Saturday, and he did it the hard way. After giving up three runs on three hits in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he settled in to strike out 11 and finish seven innings in a 4-3 series-clinching victory.
It was a night that showed both sides of Skubal in a Dodgers uniform. The early damage put the game in danger, but once he found his rhythm he looked like the front-line arm Los Angeles expected, helping extend the winning streak to five games and giving the bullpen a much-needed reset.
Dave Roberts: 'from that point on, it was a different pitcher'
Dave Roberts did not hide the fact that the start began badly. "Obviously the first inning didn’t go great," he said, before pointing to the way Skubal responded after the Pirates put runners on in the second.
"But just seeing him on the attack after they got those two runners on in the second inning — from that point on, it was a different pitcher," Roberts added. That is the key takeaway from the outing: Skubal did not let the opening frame define the night.
Roberts also made clear why the finish mattered so much. "Yeah, that’s the guy that we needed; completing seven innings, reset the bullpen; great outing," he said. For a team chasing consistency, that is exactly the kind of response a manager wants to see.
The Dodgers picked him up
Skubal said the game felt better once the lineup gave him support. "It feels good, obviously, to get the first one out of the way," he said. "I didn’t do a good job early in the game, but the boys picked me up and were able to keep us in a game. The offense got going, and that’s all we needed to get a win today."
That support came from key contributions at the right time. Kyle Tucker drove in two runs with a go-ahead single in the fifth inning, while Alek Thomas added an RBI single in the fourth after being called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday following Andy Pages' hand fracture.
Tucker’s role was particularly important because he had been under pressure after struggles at home and an 0-for-26 drought. Still, he said he was focused on process rather than the numbers. "I don’t, like, keep up with the stats like that," he said. "I’m just trying to go up there... try and have a quality at-bat, whether it’s working a long at-bat or drawing a walk, getting ahead [or] moving guys over."
Why this win matters
For the Dodgers, this was more than just another result. Skubal entered the game without a win in his first three starts with Los Angeles, so getting through seven innings and collecting 11 strikeouts gives the club a much cleaner picture of what he can offer.
There was also a broader homecoming feel to the night for the Dodgers. Roberts noted the crowd reaction around Tucker and said, "Obviously, everyone’s talking about the splits and how much he struggled at home," before adding, "But I do think that the fans, every at-bat, cheering for him — you gotta feel that as a player."
That is what made this such a valuable win. The Dodgers survived the early setback, got decisive run support, and saw Skubal recover to deliver exactly the kind of start Roberts said the team needed. In a tight 4-3 game, that combination was enough to keep the momentum going.
