John Means waited a long time to pitch again the way he did Saturday night.

Free from workload restraints, trade rumors and worry over the health of his left shoulder, the Orioles’ ace was in control for most of Baltimore’s 5-2 win over the Tigers. Holding the Tigers to little more than Eric Haase’s solo homer, Means struck out six over six breezy one-run innings at Comerica Park. The result was Means’ first victory since his May 5 no-hitter against the Mariners, and first since returning from a six-week stint on the injured list on July 20.

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“John Means was outstanding,” O’s manager Brandon Hyde said. “For me, John Means looked like he did in April. That was early-season form.”

It was also the latest in a recent stretch of stability from the Orioles’ rotation, fueled by Matt Harvey’s re-emergence and surprise contributions from Spenser Watkins. Orioles starters completed six innings just 16 times over the club’s first 91 games, with eight of those instances coming from Means. They’ve now done so six times in their past 12 contests, the club going 8-4 in that stretch. All told, the Orioles are 9-5 since the All-Star break.

Means is responsible for two of those outings, after logging 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Nationals last time out. He relied disproportionately on his changeup and curveball Saturday, scattering four hits and retiring nine of his final 10 batters after Haase’s homer in the fourth. Run-scoring hits from Maikel Franco (solo homer) and Pat Valaika (two-run single) gave Cole Sulser room to clean up a bases-loaded, no-out mess left by Tanner Scott in the ninth to secure his second save in as many nights.

“I’m excited for where this team is going,” Means said. “Guys are starting to get a feel for what they need to do to have success at this level. They are seeing how teams are approaching us from the pitching side and adjusting to it. It’s really cool to see.”

Just a bit outside

The Orioles pitcher struggling the most at the current moment is Scott, who’s control evaded him Saturday for the second straight night. Hyde said after the game Scott is dealing with a knee issue, but didn’t specify which knee and did not know if it would require an IL stint. Scott hasn’t recorded an out in either of his last two appearances, walking or hitting five of his seven batters during that stretch.

“His timing is a little bit off,” Hyde said. “He’s not getting the chases on the slider, and the fastball is erratic. But he’s someone we believe in a lot, and he has a great arm. Pitchers go through this, and I expect him to come out of it and be the dominating guy he is.”

Franco files

Speaking on Zoom after the game, Franco also revealed the right ankle sprain that sidelined him for three weeks is not yet fully healed. The veteran third baseman is just 4-for-26 (.153) since returning from the IL on July 23, including his go-ahead homer off Tigers starter Matt Manning in Saturday’s fifth inning.

“I’m not 100 percent but it's getting better every day,” Franco said. “Sometimes it's difficult. Sometimes I’m feeling good, sometimes I’m not feeling 100 percent. But I am trying to come in every day and compete, not think about it and do everything I can possibly do to stay in the lineup.”

Asked to look ahead to the season’s final two months, Franco said they are “going to be really, really important for me.” Franco, who turns 29 in August, is an impending free agent and putting up career-worst numbers amid his nagging ankle issue. He finished July hitting .215 with 11 home runs and a .639 OPS through 85 games.

“That’s why I never give up,” Franco said. “I try to give everything I have. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

More for Mullins

The hits keep coming for Cedric Mullins, who extended his hit streak to 10 games with two more knocks Saturday. The most consequential came in the third, when Mullins singled with one out off Manning, stole second and scored the game’s first run on Ryan Mountcastle’s bloop single.

By the end of the night, Mullins had accumulated 125 hits in 102 games. That’s tied with Trea Turner for second among MLB hitters, and four ahead of the Angels' David Fletcher and the Blue Jays' Bo Bichette for the American League lead. Only one Oriole has ever led the AL in hits over a full season: Cal Ripken Jr. in 1983.