Detroit Tigers: Spencer Turnbull no-hits the Seattle Mariners

George Mullin, Virgil Trucks, Jim Bunning, Jack Morris, Justin Verlander, and now you can add Spencer Turnbull to the Detroit Tigers pitchers who have thrown a no-hitter.

Turnbull, the 2nd round draft pick in 2014 out of the University of Alabama tossed a gem in the Emerald City as the Tigers won 5-0 over the Seattle Mariners.  The last Detroit Tigers pitcher to throw a no-hitter was Justin Verlander on May 7, 2011, in Toronto.

The only mistakes that Turnbull made was a walk to Jarred Kelenic in the second inning and the walk in the 9th. He was able to generate 16 swings and misses and struck out eight. He relied on his two and four-seam fastball, slider, and sinker to keep the Mariners batters off-balance.

Detroit provided insurance runs in the 8th with a RBI single by Miguel Cabrera to drive in Candelario then Detroit added two more runs in the 9th.

On career start number 50, this was the first time he was able to go all nine innings. The ability to generate ground balls and solid defense throughout the game, including the hero of the game not only with his bat but with his defense, Jeimer Candelario, who went 2-for-4 on the day with 2 RBIs and got the scoring going with a home run in the 1st.

Detroit Tigers fans needed this

With the win, this evening puts the Detroit Tigers over .500 for the month of May (8-7) and the month of April is becoming more and more of a distant memory.  He was hitting 96 MPH in the 9th. It is the 8th no-hitter in team history and the best start by far by “Red Bull” in his career and probably the biggest start for the Tigers during this rebuild.

While that last sentence may sound like a bit of exaggeration, the Tigers starters had a rough season in 2020. But tonight, it appears they continue to keep turning the corner.