Paul Goldschmidt hits two homers off Tarik Skubal, Jasson Domínguez delivers a key two-run shot as the Yankees beat the Tigers 4-2

The Yankees got the kind of contrast that often decides midseason games: a veteran bat that struck first, and a younger power threat that ultimately changed the scoreboard. New York beat the Tigers 4-2 on Thursday, turning a tight contest into separation with one decisive swing in the sixth inning.

Paul Goldschmidt provided the early spark for Detroit’s opponent. He hit two solo home runs off Tarik Skubal, first establishing the Yankees’ scoring and then reinforcing that Skubal, the Tigers’ two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner, could not fully blunt New York’s power. Goldschmidt’s second homer came after New York found its footing, keeping the Tigers from settling into a purely defensive posture.

Still, Skubal’s night ended with a costly run in the middle innings. In the sixth inning, Jasson Domínguez launched a two-run homer against Detroit, a shot that shifted momentum and created the game’s decisive advantage for the Yankees. After that swing, New York’s lead became something the Tigers had to chase rather than manage.

On the mound, Ryan Weathers gave the Yankees a stable foundation. The official game account credits Weathers with holding Detroit, allowing the lineup’s late surge to land with less risk than it might have otherwise. With the game tight until Domínguez’s inning, that control from New York’s starter mattered for both bullpen workload and late-inning leverage.

For Detroit, the challenge was clear: even when the Tigers’ ace surrendered a pair of homers, the damage could have ended at a manageable deficit. The problem was the timing of the long ball New York added in the sixth, because two runs in that inning forced Detroit to play catch-up through the final frames rather than with a one-run margin that can invite different at-bats.

What to watch next is whether this game reflects a continuing trend in how New York attacks elite right-handed and off-speed looks, or whether it was a one-night convergence of matchups. For Detroit, the central question will be whether Skubal can reduce the damage with runners on base, since solo home runs are one thing, but extra-inning swing-or-miss consequences are what decide series.

For the Yankees, Domínguez’s impact is the storyline to carry forward. A two-run homer that arrives in the sixth inning is the kind of statement at-bat that can shape a lineup’s confidence, especially against a pitcher with the postseason reputation Skubal holds. New York will likely look to build around that mixture of veteran production and late-inning pop as games tighten in the standings.