The Detroit Tigers' right-hander, though, has a pair of starts previous to then. Scherzer will attempt to develop into the second decanter to open 14-0 in the last 27 years Monday night when the AL Central-leading Tigers bring to a close their four-game series visiting the second-place Cleveland Indians.
There was no revelation Scherzer (13-0, 3.09 ERA) was one of six Tigers named to the All-Star team Saturday, as he's off to a begin manager Jim Leyland told the team's official website is "hard to believe." With a career-best sixth repeated winning start on Wednesday - he permitted two runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 6-2 triumph at Toronto - Scherzer became the first pitcher to start 13-0 since Boston's Roger Clemens opened 14-0 in 1986.
The AL record is 15-0, set by Cleveland's Johnny Allen in 1937 and equaled by Baltimore's Dave McNally in 1969. "(My) record's kind of overblown," Scherzer told the Tigers' official website. "I'm playing a part on a great team here. Every time I start, they're always picking me up, they're always making plays. That's the reason why I'm 13-0."
A most important league-best 7.87 run-support standard has certainly helped Scherzer, whose 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA in eight road starts. He enhanced to 2-0 against the Indians (46-42) this season by giving up one run in eight innings of a 5-1 triumph at Cleveland on May 21.
Scherzer has won his last two starts at Cleveland after going 0-3 with a 7.48 ERA in his first four. He'll look an Indians team that snapped a four-game trailing line - and a seven-game slip in this series - with Sunday's 9-6 victory. Michael Brantley went 3 for 4 with two homers, a twice and a career-best five RBIs to assist Cleveland climb within 2 1/2 games of the division lead.
"Michael Brantley looked like Barry Bonds,'' Tigers All-Star right fielder Torii Hunter said later than his team's five-game win line was snapped.
The Indians will go for the series split with Scott Kazmir (4-4, 4.86) getting his initial look at the Tigers since 2010 while with the Los Angeles Angels. The expert left-hander was 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his earlier two starts previous to not earning a conclusion in a 6-5 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday when he surrendered three runs in five innings.
Kazmir has an 8.53 run-support standard while going 4-0 with a 4.26 ERA in six outings at Progressive Field. He could make use of all the sustain he can obtain the way All-Star third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Hunter have been drumming. Cabrera, the most important league leader with a .368 batting average and 90 RBIs, belted his 28th homer Sunday in the middle of his four hits. That tied the reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown champion with Cecil Fielder for the most home runs by a Tiger before the All-Star break.
Hunter is 12 for 23 with two homers and 11 RBIs in the last five contests after striking a game-tying three-run shot and concluding with a season-best four RBIs on Sunday. Indians All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis, 2 for 11 with five strikeouts this series, is 1 for 7 with a twice off Scherzer this season, but Nick Swisher is 3 for 3 with a triple and a double. Only one other player - Houston's Carlos Corporan (two homers) - has more than one extra-base hit against Scherzer in 2013.
