No Ks? No Problem! Tigers Make MLB History in Shutout of Guardians

DETROIT -- Forget the strikeout. The Detroit Tigers just proved you don't need 'em to dominate.

Keider Montero scattered three hits over 6 1/3 innings, and the Tigers blanked the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Thursday -- without a single strikeout. That's not a typo. Detroit became the first team to pitch a shutout without a K since Rick Porcello did it to the Athletics on July 1, 2014. It's only been done seven times since 2000.

Montero (9-7) walked just one while keeping Cleveland off the board. Tyler Holton followed with 1 2/3 solid innings, and Kenley Jansen slammed the door with a perfect ninth for his 15th save.

Offensively, the Tigers struck early and often enough. Dillon Dingler drove in the game's first run with a groundout in the third. Then Eduardo Valencia launched his fifth homer of the season into the left-field seats to make it 2-0. Spencer Torkelson added a one-run single in the eighth to seal the deal.

Cleveland's Parker Messick (9-7) was solid in defeat, giving up two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out six. But the Guardians' bats went quiet at the worst time.

There was also a streak that took a hit: Steven Kwan saw his career-best 27-game on-base run come to an end, going 0-for-4.

Up Next

Tigers: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-0, 0.00 ERA) opens the series against the White Sox on Friday.

Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (11-6, 3.55 ERA) starts the series opener versus the Padres on Friday.