Detroit Tigers shutout, drop series finale to Seattle Mariners

May 27, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Roenis Elias (29) pitches to the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Tigers had to like their chances heading into Seattle this weekend to face a below .500 team in the Mariners, a team that would be without its ace starter, Felix Hernandez (his turn in the rotation came in the series prior) and would see their best hitter, Robinson Cano, sidelined for several games with an injured hand. The Tigers have been nothing but predictable this season, and that continued on Sunday as Max Scherzer limped through another substandard outing and the offense was shut down by a rookie Mariners’ pitcher.

Detroit lost another series with the 4-0 defeat and hasn’t won a series in two weeks.

Scherzer, hoping to bounce back after a pair of rough outings worked in and out of trouble much of the day, driving his pitch count up into the 50s by the third inning. Max limited the damage to one run through four innings, but a couple of doubles chased home two to make it 3-0. Seattle tacked on another run in the seventh.

Max lasted into the seventh inning and allowed nine hits, four earned runs, seven strikeouts and no walks. He’s allowed 16 runs in his last three outings.

Rookie Roenis Elias had the batters for the Tigers baffled all day and went the distance for a complete game shutout. There was seldom a hard hit ball of Detroit bats on Sunday afternoon and for the second straight game a virtual unknown pitcher for Seattle was able to make the lineup look flat, disinterested, and ineffective.