DETROIT—Tim Wakefield and Mike Timlin had no idea they were making history Tuesday night.
For the first time in baseball's modern era, the Boston Red Sox had two pitchers over 40 combine on a shutout. Wakefield gave up just two hits in eight innings and Timlin got the final three outs of a 5-0 victory over the Tigers.
That was the only time that's happened since 1900, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"It's pretty cool," Wakefield said Wednesday. "I didn't know it until they told me, but it's nice to know you're the first."
The 41-year-old knuckleballer retired 17 straight batters and allowed just three men to reach base.
Timlin, 42, tied Jose Mesa and Lee Smith in eighth place on the all-time appearances list with 1,022. Kent Tekulve is seventh with 1,050.
"I'll just keep showing up," said Timlin, who trails only Bob Stanley on Boston's all-time appearances list.
