Mize spins 6 scoreless frames vs. Jays in return from IL

DETROIT -- Casey Mize returned from the injured list and gave the injury-depleted Tigers exactly what they needed, tossing six scoreless innings to keep the Tigers in a Saturday afternoon pitchers' duel at Comerica Park, before Detroit fell, 2-1, to Toronto in 10 innings.

Mize had quietly put together a very good opening month before a right adductor strain suffered while fielding a ground ball landed him on the injured list. He looked strong enough in his side sessions and a simulated game against hitters that the Tigers, desperately needing healthy starters, brought him back without a rehab assignment.

Mize essentially picked up where he left off, unleashing a near-equal mix of fastballs, sliders and splitters that left Blue Jays hitters off balance. He allowed just two hits, one of them a first-inning infield single by Yohendrick Piñango, whom he subsequently erased on a double play.

Perhaps the ultimate compliment came from Blue Jays outfielder Jesús Sánchez, who nodded in respect for Mize’s splitters on his way to a strikeout ending the second inning. Mize fanned Sánchez again in the fifth inning, this time on a slider, to help strand Daulton Varsho in scoring position following his one-out double on one of Mize’s rare mistakes of the afternoon.

Mize needed just 71 pitches to blank Toronto over six innings, striking out four and facing one batter over the minimum. Half of his 10 whiffs came on sliders, which averaged a tick above his season normal velocity at 88.4 miles per hour. His top velocity for the day was a tick low at 95.2 mph, but his four-seam fastball still averaged a half-tick above normal at 93.9.

Mize left with a 1-0 lead on Matt Vierling’s home run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Blue Jays tied it as soon as manager A.J. Hinch went to his bullpen. Piñango homered off Kyle Finnegan in the seventh.

Mize’s performance lowered his ERA to 2.43 and his WHIP to 1.05 through seven starts.