Melton delivered seven scoreless innings as the Tigers defeated the Seattle Mariners, 8-0, at T-Mobile Park. Detroit has won four consecutive games and five of its last six, improving to 55-58 and moving within 1½ games of Cleveland for the final American League wild-card position. Tigers have scored at least eight runs in six consecutive games, tying the longest such streak in franchise history. Detroit finished with 13 hits, including home runs from Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres and Dillon Dingler. ever, the game belonged to Melton.

The right-hander allowed three hits and two walks while striking out four across seven innings. He threw 97 pitches, including 66 strikes, and did not allow a Mariners hitter to advance beyond second base. Melton improved to 7-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.58 through 12 starts. He has now thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings after also holding Baltimore scoreless for seven innings in his previous outing. ton did not dominate Seattle by collecting a large number of strikeouts.

Instead, he controlled contact, worked efficiently and prevented the Mariners from creating a sustained rally. He recorded seven ground-ball outs and six fly-ball outs while facing only 25 hitters. ttle’s best opportunity came in the fourth inning. Randy Arozarena opened the inning with a single before Julio Rodríguez drew a one-out walk. Melton responded by striking out Josh Naylor and getting Cal Raleigh to chase for another strikeout, ending the threat with Detroit still leading 3-0. The Mariners managed only one more hit against him, a two-out Raleigh single in the seventh.

For a rotation that recently lost Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize in deadline trades and has Jack Flaherty and Justin Verlander on the injured list, Melton’s continued development provides some needed stability. He entered the game with a 0.92 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 29⅔ innings during July.

His improved cutter has become a significant part of his success, giving him another weapon against hitters on both sides of the plate. would be unfair to expect Melton to replace everything Skubal provided. However, he is establishing himself as more than someone temporarily filling an opening. His combination of velocity, multiple secondary pitches and improved command gives Detroit a potential long-term rotation piece.

The Tigers gave Melton an early cushion with three runs in the third inning. Zach McKinstry opened the inning with a double and eventually reached third, although he was thrown out at home on a ground ball from Torres. Dingler kept the inning alive with a single before Greene’s ground ball and a throwing error by shortstop Colt Emerson allowed Torres to score. Colt Keith followed with a two-run single to right, making it 3-0.

Greene added another run in the fifth by driving a solo home run to center field. It was his 16th homer of the season and part of a three-hit night for the Tigers outfielder. Keith also collected three hits, a double, a walk and two RBIs, while McKinstry reached base four times with three hits and a walk. roit then broke the game open against newly acquired Seattle reliever Seranthony Domínguez in the ninth.

Javier Báez drew a leadoff walk following a successful automated ball-strike challenge, and McKinstry singled to move him to third. Kevin McGonigle’s groundout scored Báez before Torres hit a two-run homer to left-center. Dingler followed with a solo shot to right-center, giving Detroit an 8-0 advantage.

Jacob Waguespack worked a scoreless eighth before Yilber Díaz completed the shutout in his Tigers debut. Díaz allowed a hit and a walk but struck out three, including Raleigh and Brendan Donovan to finish the game.