(HOUSTON) - Back in the place where he'd received so many cheers over the years, one more ovation after a long and difficult time away was almost too much for manager A.J. Hinch to take. Casey Mize tossed seven scoreless innings for his first career win and fellow rookie Akil Baddoo homered again as the Detroit Tigers beat the Astros 6-2 on Monday night in Hinch’s first trip to Houston since he was fired for his role in the team’s sign-stealing scheme. ...... {LISTEN}. Hinch spent five seasons in Houston, winning the 2017 World Series and helping turn around a team that had sunk to embarrassing lows during a rebuild in the years before he arrived. He received a standing ovation when he was introduced before the game and the team played a tribute video to him on the big screen. Hinch was suspended by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for a year in January 2020 and subsequently fired by owner Jim Crane for his role in the scheme that violated rules by using a video camera to steal catchers’ signs during Houston’s run to the 2017 title and again during the 2018 season. Renato Núñez and Grayson Greiner also homered as the Tigers jumped on Zack Greinke (1-1) for six runs to snap a four-game skid. ...... {LISTEN}. His two up-and-coming stars helped him to a sweet return as the Tigers handed the Astros their third consecutive loss after a 6-1 start. Mize (1-0), the top overall pick in the 2018 amateur draft who was making his ninth start, yielded four hits and fanned five in the longest start of his big league career. Mize got stronger as the game progressed, retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced before being replaced by Buck Farmer to start the eighth.

(audio courtesy of FSR 99.7 FM/1230 AM and Detroit Tigers)