Deadspin | Casey Mize shines as AL-leading Tigers edge Guardians

Spencer Torkelson hit a solo home run and Casey Mize pitched seven dominant innings in a combined four-hitter as the visiting Detroit Tigers edged the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 on Saturday night.

Torkelson went deep in the second inning against Logan Allen (5-7), sending his 20th homer of the year onto the shelf in right field. American League-leading Detroit has won five of its last seven games and is 12 1/2 ahead of second-place Minnesota in the AL Central.

Mize (9-2) scattered four hits over a season-high 102 pitches, one short of his career high. The right-hander walked two and struck out four while not allowing a runner to reach third base.

Brant Hurter pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Tommy Kahnle allowed a two-out walk to Daniel Schneemann in the ninth before striking out Kyle Manzardo for his ninth save.

The Guardians dropped their ninth in a row, matching their longest losing streak since a nine-gamer in 2021. Cleveland has been outscored 41-13 during the skid, being shut out five times and held to less than three runs in seven of the games.

Torkelson had both Tigers hits against four Guardians pitchers, coming within five feet of another homer in the fourth after sending a ball high off the wall in left for a long single.

Allen worked six innings, giving up one run on two hits. The left-hander struck out five and walked two but lost his third straight start — all at home, where the Guardians were booed throughout the evening.

Tigers All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres exited the game with a bruised neck after an inning-ending collision with the elbow of Cleveland’s Brayan Rocchio in the first.

Torres was running toward second on a grounder hit by teammate Riley Greene when Rocchio received an off-target throw from second baseman Angel Martinez.

Rocchio caught the ball, but his elbow struck Torres on the face as he slid short of the bag. He remained prone on the dirt for several minutes before leaving the field.

–Field Level Media