Casey Mize recorded his first victory since 2021 as the visiting Detroit Tigers defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Mize (1-0) tossed six scoreless innings in his fourth start this season, allowing five hits while striking out four. His last pitching win came on Aug. 24, 2021, when he tossed five shutout innings against St. Louis. Tyler Holton added two scoreless innings and Alex Faedo gave up a run in the ninth.
The top pick of the 2018 draft, Mize missed most of the 2022 season and all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Buddy Kennedy hit a home run and drove in three runs, while Spencer Torkelson supplied two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs for the Tigers. Riley Greene scored three runs as Detroit won two of three games in the series.
Austin Martin hit his first career home run for the Twins. Minnesota starter Louie Varland (0-4) gave up four runs on three hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Varland found trouble early, walking the first two batters he faced, Greene and Mark Canha. After Torkelson hit into a fielder’s choice, Kerry Carpenter singled to right to bring home Greene. After Matt Vierling walked, Kennedy drove in Torkelson with a sacrifice fly.
The Twins loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning. Martin then lined out and Willi Castro flied out.
Detroit extended its lead to 4-0 in the third. Torkelson led off with a single and Carpenter was hit by a pitch. After Vierling bounced into a double play, Kennedy clubbed a Varland cutter over the left-field wall.
The Twins had baserunners in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth against Mize but couldn’t push across a run.
Detroit increased its lead to 5-0 in the seventh against Minnesota’s Jay Jackson. Greene reached on a one-out single and scored on Torkelson’s double off the left-center field wall.
The Tigers made it 6-0 in the ninth on Torkelson’s sacrifice fly. Martin’s home run off Faedo ended the shutout bid.
–Field Level Media
