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Fulmer wins 3rd straight as Tigers top A's

[May 28, 2016] By Eric Gilmore, The Sports Xchange

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Detroit Tigers paid a steep price last July to acquire right-hander Michael Fulmer, sending slugger Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets

Now that trade is paying big dividends.

Fulmer (4-1) pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings and led the Tigers to a 4-1 victory against the Oakland A's at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday night. The rookie gave up three hits, struck out three and walked one in his sixth career major league start. He won his third straight game.

"We paid dearly for him," said Tigers bench coach Gene Lamont, who filled in for manager Brad Ausmus while he attended his oldest daughter's high school graduation. "I'm not knocking the kid, but he came in a pretty trade for Cespedes. You expect to get something good for Cespedes, and he's done a good job so far."

Fulmer gave up a two-out single to Khris Davis in the second inning then held the A's hitless until the eighth when Chris Coghlan lined a two-out single to center. Coco Crisp followed with a ground-rule double, moving Coghlan to third and ending Fulmer's night.

Tigers left-hander Justin Wilson struck out pinch hitter Billy Butler to end the inning.

Fulmer had only 72 pitches through six innings and finished with 103.

"I tried to pitch more to contact," Fulmer said. "I want to be more efficient and I want to go deeper into games. So that means throwing more quality fastballs and getting weak contact."

Nick Castellanos went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the fifth inning -- his 10th blast of the season -- that extended Detroit's lead to 3-0.

Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler went 3-for-5 with a triple and a double. After singling in the ninth, he scored on J.D. Martinez' triple to make it 4-0. Kinsler, who missed the previous two games with an illness, was robbed of extra bases in the first inning when center fielder Billy Burns made a diving catch.

"It's crazy," Kinsler said. "I didn't actually score or drive in a run until the ninth. That's always the goal, to score and drive in a run and turn the scoreboard. It was good to get that extra run in the ninth."

Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez allowed a run in the ninth. He gave up a leadoff single to Stephen Vogt and an RBI triple to Jed Lowrie.

The Tigers won for the ninth time in their past 11 games, while the A's lost for the seventh time in their past eight games.

A's rookie left-hander Sean Manaea (1-3) gave up three runs on nine hits over six innings. He struck out four, walked two and threw 93 pitches in his sixth career major league start.

"I had a couple pitches working, and it was a slider I left up to Castallenos," Manaea said. "That was just lack of execution."

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In his previous start, Fulmer struck out 11 and allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in a 5-4 victory against Tampa Bay. This time he let his defense do more of the work.

"He was throwing (fastballs) and he has a short little slider that's tough to pick up," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Fulmer. "He threw well his last time out, but that was probably his best outing since he's been up."

Detroit scored two runs in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Justin Upton lined an opposite-field single to right with two outs. Cameron Maybin brought Upton home with an opposite-field double down the right-field line that extended his hitting streak to 10 games. James McCann blooped an RBI single to right.

Kinsler appeared to score from third in the fifth inning after Victor Martinez popped out to first baseman Yonder Alonso in foul territory with one out. Alonso's throw home hit Martinez, who was a few steps away from the plate, and got past catcher Stephen Vogt. Home plate umpire Joe West ruled that Martinez interfered with the throw, and called Kinsler out.

NOTES: Tigers bench coach Gene Lamont filled in for manager Brad Ausmus for the second straight game. Ausmus missed Wednesday's contest against Philadelphia to be with his family in Connecticut after his mother's death. He was in San Diego on Friday to attend the high school graduation of his oldest daughter. Lamont said Ausmus is expected to rejoin the team for Saturday's game against Oakland. ... Tigers LF Justin Upton returned to the starting lineup Friday after missing three games with a sore right quadriceps, and 2B Ian Kinsler returned after missing two games with an illness. ... Athletics C Josh Phegley (strained right knee) was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Friday. ... Oakland C Matt McBride was sent to Triple-A Nashville, opening a spot for Phegley on the 25-man roster. ... Tigers LHP Matt Boyd will be recalled from Triple-A Toledo and start against Oakland on Saturday in place of RHP Jordan Zimmermann (strained right groin). The Tigers hope Zimmermann can rejoin the rotation Tuesday against the Angels. He'll throw a bullpen session Saturday. "Then we'll decide if he'll be able to make the start," Lamont said. "If he can't he'll probably have to go on the DL." ... Tigers OF Steven Moya was sent to Toledo after the game. ... A's RHP Sonny Gray (strained right trapezius) will throw his first bullpen session Saturday since going on the 15-day disabled list May 21.

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