Tigers clean it up, Buddy Kennedy powers up to back Casey Mize, topple Twins
Chris McCosky
Minneapolis — It seemed like a fair question. Especially after a four-game stretch — which comes at the back end of a 14-game, 13-day slog — where the Tigers made an uncharacteristic amount of errors (nine), gifting eight unearned runs and losing three close games.
Might the Tigers be showing some mental fatigue?
The answer from manager AJ Hinch was a hard no.
“At this level, that is unacceptable,” he said. “I don’t see our guys, from a focus standpoint, I don’t see that as being an issue at all. I think fatigue, extra swings, extra work, guys responding to success and failure — that’s some of the things we’re always looking into.
“Focus will never be a problem on this team, regardless of how many games in a row you play. The schedule is built with these kinds of journeys. It’s the big leagues. You’ve got to be a big boy about your readiness.”
The Tigers had their big-boy pants on Sunday, for sure, beating the Twins 6-1 and winning the series at Target Field.
They played a clean game defensively, backing a stout effort by starting pitcher Casey Mize.
Mize, despite a wobbly start, blanked the Twins over six innings. Five hits and three walks cluttered the base paths, but he allowed only three runners into scoring position.
"It was a battle," Mize said. "But if I leave the game and there are zeroes in the run column, it's hard not to be happy with that. I was happy to compete and give us a chance to win."
He walked two in the first inning but stranded the bases loaded, getting Austin Martin to line one back to him and then inducing a fly out to center from Willi Castro.
Mize had four swings and misses through the first four innings, but in the fifth he unleashed his most wicked splitters. He got five whiffs with that pitch alone in the fifth.
"The slider really wasn't there so I need to pivot to something else," he said. "And their lineup called for it, too with all the lefties. Fortunately I was able to drop that splitter in there."
It was the second time in Mize’s injury-interrupted career that he went at least six innings without allowing a run. And, it was his first win since Aug. 24, 2021.
"He had to pitch through a little duress," Hinch said. "Even though it feels like a guy who throws six scoreless was in cruise control. Proud of his effort because it wasn't as easy as his line is going to make it look."
Buddy Kennedy, just called up from Triple-A Toledo on Saturday, provided the offensive spark. He knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and then, with two outs and a runner on in the third, he lashed a center-cut cutter into the left-field seats. His second big-league homer gave the Tigers a four-run lead.
"I saw him really well," Kennedy said of Twins starter Louie Varland. "Had a great first at-bat and then just tried to stay tight, tight to my zone. The second at-bat I was looking for something out over the plate. It looked like a slower cutter or slider and I was just, 'OK, let's see if I can put a good swing on it.' And I did.
"I thought it was a double, just because with my luck it never goes out."
This one went out and he's looking forward to texting back his workout and hunting buddy Mike Trout. Both are products of New Jersey's Millville High School.
"He actually texted me and our hunting group (Friday)," Kennedy said. "Saying if I homer or get three hits in my first start, I get to sit in his deer stand at his house. I'm going to call him and tell him, 'You can't back out of it now.'"
The Tigers took advantage of Varland's command issues. He walked three hitters in the first inning, throwing more balls (21) than strikes (18).
"When guys come up they want to contribute and feel a part of it," Hinch said. "Today was a good example of that with Buddy. We had a really big first inning. It could've been a bigger one but we didn't let them off the hook. We scored multiple runs and kept adding on."
Kerry Carpenter singled in one run, extending his hitting streak to seven games and his RBI streak to six games. The RBI streak is the longest by a Tiger since Justin Upton knocked in runs in six straight back in 2017.
Spencer Torkelson, still looking for his first homer this season, missed one by inches in the seventh inning. He hit a laser, 106.5 mph off his bat, that left a mark in the padding on the left field wall. It was his fourth-hardest hit ball this season, It ended up being a double, scoring Riley Greene from first.
"It definitely felt good," Torkelson said. "I'm seeing the ball good. The swing feels like it's in a good spot. Just keep going."
Torkelson who also singled, had exit velocities of 102, 104 and 106.5 mph — three of the top 12 hardest balls he’s hit this season. His sacrifice fly in the ninth again plated Greene. His 10 RBIs are second only to Carpenter (13) this season.
Shortstop Javier Báez also had an active game. He walked and stole a base in the second inning. He also advanced to third on a flyout by Jake Rogers, though he was stranded. He singled in the fourth, advanced to second on a fly out to center and then stole third.
That’s four extra bases after he initially reached. He now has successfully stolen 18 straight bags dating to the end of the 2022 season.
The Tigers, now 8-3 on the road, will complete the 14-game, 13-day stretch with three games against the Rays in St. Petersburg.
"We don't care where we play," Hinch said. "Our guys have a ton of energy and we stay center-focused no matter how games swing one way or the other the night before. You need that, especially on the road. We've won three series on the road now. That's going to pay off in the end."
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky