Fulmer shuts down Blue Jays to extend scoreless streak
Michael Fulmer's big-league career is barely a month old and he's already turning the Detroit Tigers record books upside down.
The rookie right-hander shut down the Toronto Blue Jays over six innings as part of an 11-0 rout Monday, extending his scoreless streak to 22 1/3 innings, a new Tigers rookie record.
The 23-year-old, who was acquired by Detroit from the New York Mets for Yoenis Cespedes at last year's trade deadline, has seen his ERA drop over three runs - from 6.52 to 3.24 - during his streak. He's allowed only one run, an Evan Longoria homer on May 21, in his last 28 1/3 innings pitched.
"He really has been dominant," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told reporters after the game, according to Jason Beck and Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. "He's been our best pitcher, probably, over the last 3 1/2 weeks, whatever that stretch is. I don't know that I would've predicted it from a young pitcher like that coming up, but he's done an excellent job."
Fulmer is also the first Tigers pitcher in a century to record three consecutive scoreless starts while allowing three hits or less in each outing, according to ESPN Stats & Info. He held the Blue Jays bats, who had been on a hot streak of late, to just two hits while striking out five.
Fulmer, who likely could have returned for the seventh inning, threw just 88 pitches to that point, but Ausmus opted to get his young hurler some extra rest with the lopsided scoreline. Alex Wilson, Anibal Sanchez, and Blaine Hardy took care of the final three frames with ease to give Fulmer his sixth win of the season.
His next chance to extend the streak further will come on Sunday against the New York Yankees in the Bronx.