CHICAGO -- It was a game of firsts for the Detroit Tigers.\n\n
Brieske set the tone early and brought his A-game in his 14th career start. He retired the first seven batters he faced -- four via strikeout -- and 15 of the first 16 White Sox hitters. That strong start led to the rookie carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning, when Josh Harrison broke it up with a single to left field.\n\n“He was excellent,” Hinch said. “He did a lot right, making pitches. Excellent job of executing different looks and just an all-around good effort.”\n\nThe right-hander gave up just two hits, one walk and four strikeouts across 6 1/3 innings. The win marked his fifth career quality start and second in as many starts for the Tigers.\n\n“He pitched well tonight,” catcher
The 24-year-old threw his slider on 31% of his pitches, with the four-seam fastball (24%), changeup (23%) and sinker (22%) not far behind. His masterful pitch mix led him to deliver one of the strongest starts of his career and earn his second win as a big leaguer.\n\n“That was the difference for me tonight,” Brieske said. “I feel like I executed the sinker better than I have all year. I was able to throw it for strikes and get it on the hands, so we can get some weak contact.”
Brieske, though, couldn’t have done it without his teammates. Báez helped his cause by delivering his 8th home run of the season in the fourth to give the Tigers an early lead, and the defense did its part as well.\n\nBoth
It’s also an encouraging sign for Detroit to see a young pitcher delivering on the mound. Brieske -- a 27th-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft -- finally got his shot in the big leagues. So far he’s performing.\n\nWith his fifth quality start in 14 outings, the Tigers are hopeful that Brieske can continue to grow and improve his game. And if he can, the rookie can be a building block for the starting rotation in the future -- a rotation that already features some young names.\n\n“He’s made a lot of good starts, keeping us in games, pitching well, facing new lineups and new stressful situations,” Hinch said. “This is all a learning curve for him, and he’s responding very well, both mentally and physically.”