Thoughts on game 13 of 162

Coke zero: Tigers starter Phil Coke threw seven scoreless innings to help the Tigers beat the Athletics on Thursday night. (AP)

Behind Phil Coke and Ryan Raburn, the Tigers pushed their winning streak to three with their first shutout of the season. Detroit, which was playing the opening game of a seven-game road trip out west,  is 6-7 and is tied with Tampa Bay for the longest current win streak in the Ameican League. Oakland falls to 6-7.

Hero: Phil Coke

Coke delivered in what arguably was the best start by a Tigers starting pitcher this season. In his second start since converting from a reliever, Coke tossed seven scoreless innings, limiting the Athletics to just three hits while earning his first victory of the season. Coke walked two and struck out two. The back end of the Tiger bullpen finished what he started as Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde combined to not allow a hit while pitching two scoreless innings to seal the win.

Coke’s outing continued a trend of strong pitching by Tigers starters and they will need that to carry over with Rick Porcello tonight.

Key play: The Tigers only had four hits with the biggest being Ryan Raburn’s two-out RBI double in the seventh off reliever Tyson Ross that scored Ramon Santiago to break the scoreless tie.

Santiago also had a key sacrifice fly in the eighth inning that provided the Tigers with an insurance run. Santiago finished 2 for 3, while Casper Wells had the Tigers’ lone other hit.

Conor Jackson had two of Oakland’s three hits.

Slow starts: Victor Martinez went 0 for 5 Thursday and saw his average dip to .200. Austin Jackson was 0 for 4 and is batting 194.

Up next: at Athletics, 10 p.m. tonight