Detroit Tigers rookie Casey Mize took another step in his development with a dominant start Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.
The 24-year-old rolled through 6u2153 innings, allowing one run on three hits and one walk, with six strikeouts. But the difference came in the bottom of the ninth, well after Mize had departed when reliever Michael Fulmer allowed a two-run walk-off homer to Carlos Santana. The longtime Cleveland slugger, in his first season with the Royals, tagged a 97 mph fastball and sent it 442 feet to center field.
Santana's blast handed the Tigers (18-28) a 3-2 loss and back-to-back defeats to conclude the three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.