TORONTO (AP) -- Kelvim Escobar finally lived up to his promise.

Escobar pitched a four-hitter for his first shutout in 55 career starts, leading the Toronto Blue Jays over the Detroit Tigers 6-0 Wednesday night.

"It's amazing to get my first shutout," he said. "I feel proud."

	Kelvim Escobar retired 20 of his final 21 batters to post his first career shutout in 55 starts.

Toronto manager Jim Fregosi said he's never seen the 24-year-old pitch better.

"I'd like to bottle the Escobar I had tonight," Fregosi said. "He knows now that he can pitch nine innings. He's got this game to fall back on. He knows he can shut a team out."

Detroit was blanked for the ninth time this season, the most in the major leagues.

"He's got one of the best arms in this league," Juan Gonzalez said. "All he needs is experience."

After allowing the first two batters of the game to reach, Escobar struck out Bobby Higginson, then got Gonzalez to hit into a double play.

Escobar worked out of bases-loaded jam in the third inning by inducing a popup from Higginson and a groundout from Gonzalez.

After Higginson doubled and advanced on a wild pitch in the sixth, Escobar got Gonzalez on a groundout and Tony Clark on a flyout. Escobar then retired his final nine batters.

"I didn't try to overthrow. I had control," said Escobar, who struck a celebratory pose after striking out Dean Palmer to end the game.

Escobar retired 20 of his final 21 batters.

"Sometimes he takes his arm for granted," catcher Alberto Castillo said. "He pitched so good today and then next time up he says 'oh, I'm the man', but he's young and he's learning."

Brian Moehler (4-4) allowed five runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Moehler balked in a run in the fourth, and Stewart homered in the fifth following singles by Tony Batista and Homer Bush. Toronto has homered in a club-record 19 consecutive games.

Raul Mondesi's sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 5-0 and Delgado homered off Matt Anderson in the eighth.

Game notes
Delgado extended his hitting streak to 15 games. ... Gonzalez, who entered with four homers in his previous six games, went 0-for-4. ... Toronto rookie Matt Dewitt gave up a home run on his first pitch in the majors on Tuesday night. "It was an eye-opener. It was like, `Welcome to the big leagues,' " Dewitt said.