Max Scherzer struck out 14 in 5 2-3 shutout innings hours after he was recalled from the minors, helping the Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 10-2 on Sunday.
Scherzer allowed two hits, walked four and hit a batter in his first game with Detroit since he was sent to Triple-A Toledo following an awful start. The right-hander fell just two strikeouts short of Mickey Lolich's team record despite being taken out in the sixth inning.
Scherzer was acquired from Arizona over the winter and went 1-4 with a 7.29 ERA in his first eight starts with the Tigers. He was only called back up because Armando Galarraga, Sunday's scheduled starter, pitched in relief on Friday and wasn't available.
Miguel Cabrera had four hits, including his 14th homer, and four RBIs for the Tigers, who finished with 15 hits. Carlos Guillen and Brandon Inge also connected, and Joel Zumaya pitched two scoreless innings for his first save.
Daric Barton hit a two-run homer for Oakland. Dallas Braden (4-5) allowed five runs and 11 hits in six innings.
Detroit scored single runs in the first four innings and five of the first six. Cabrera doubled in a run in the third and hit a three-run shot in the Tigers' five-run eighth.
Scherzer (2-4) struck out seven in the first three innings. Jack Cust got Oakland's first hit in the fourth — a one-out double that just eluded left fielder Ryan Raburn — but Scherzer threw a called third strike past Mark Ellis and got Gabe Gross swinging to end the threat.
Scherzer struck out the first two batters of the sixth, then narrowly missed on a 3-2 pitch to Cust. He then hit Ellis with his 113th pitch and was removed by manager Jim Leyland. The crowd of 32,510 saluted Scherzer's effort with a standing ovation.
Phil Coke struck out Jake Fox to end the inning but gave up Barton's third homer in the seventh.
Detroit put the game away with five runs off Vin Mazzaro in the eighth, including Cabrera's fourth homer in three days.
NOTES: Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram threw out the first pitch with a professional-looking delivery off the pitching rubber. His fastball, though, was high and outside. ... Scherzer struck out all nine Oakland starters at least once. ... Lolich struck out 16 batters twice in 1969.
