Final Score: Oakland 2, Detroit 0

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Mark Mulder pitched his sixth career shutout as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Detroit Tigers, 2-0.

Eric Byrnes went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Oakland, which took two in this three-game set and has won four of its last six games.

Mulder (3-1) allowed just three hits to go along with five strikeouts and one walk for his ninth career complete game.

Nate Cornejo (1-2) took the loss for Detroit despite a solid outing. He hurled six innings and allowed one run on five hits with two walks.

Dean Palmer finished 2-for-3 in the losing effort for the Tigers, who have lost nine of their last 10 games. Steve Sparks pitched an inning of relief and allowed one run on one hit.

Detroit threatened to score in the top of the fifth. Craig Monroe reached on an infield single before moving to third on a Palmer double to right. Jermaine Dye of the A's hurt his right knee while fielding the Palmer hit and left the game with discomfort.

With runners at second and third with one out, Ramon Santiago and Brandon Inge grounded out and flied out, respectively, to end the inning.

Oakland then got on the board in the bottom of the frame. Byrnes and Terrence Long each singled leading off the inning. Both runners advanced one base on Ramon Hernandez's groundout. Chris Singleton's sacrifice fly then brought home Byrnes.

The Athletics added to their lead in the seventh. Long singled to lead off the inning and moved to second when Omar Infante made a throwing error on Hernandez's hit. With runners on first and second, Singleton grounded into a fielder's choice and Long was tagged out. Mark Ellis then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Hernandez, who had moved to third on the previous play.

Game Notes

Mulder is now 9-1 in his last 14 starts dating back to last season...The game marked the fifth time in 2003 that the Tigers have been shutout...The game was played in a swift 2:06...Monroe was the only other Tiger besides Palmer to post a hit in the contest.

04/24 18:21:57 ET