DETROIT -- Before the skies opened over Comerica Park on Wednesday night in Detroit, the story of the night was Angels starter Shohei Ohtani making his anticipated return to the mound. He did not disappoint, throwing a 101.1-mph fastball in the fifth inning of the Angels' 6-1 loss to the Tigers that broke his own record for the fastest pitch thrown by a starter this season.
Ohtani previously hit 101 mph twice on April 24 against the Astros.

The pitch came against Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who had already struck out twice on Ohtani splitters. Candelario got his bat on it but was jammed. The ball dribbled down the first-base line and Ohtani tagged him out to end the inning, stranding runners on second and third.
"Very [impressed]," said Tigers right fielder Nicholas Castellanos, who doubled twice and popped out against Ohtani. "Him being so young and having those weapons, you could tell that he wasn't letting it all eat. He was 91 [mph], 93 in the first inning, and then all of a sudden he got it up to 101 against Candy. And the fact that he has that in his back pocket, you have to respect that as a hitter."

Ohtani began the game throwing in the low 90s but began dialing up the heat in the third and fourth innings. There was a 23-minute rain delay between the fourth and fifth innings, and another delay in the top of the sixth. Ohtani's day was finished after the second, longer delay. He allowed one run on three hits and three walks over five innings, striking out five.

The fastest pitch thrown by a starter in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) belongs to the late Yordano Ventura, who threw a 102.6-mph pitch on Sept. 17, 2013, for the Royals against the Indians in his first career Major League start.
The five fastest pitches thrown by starters this season:
Ohtani, 101.1, Wednesday vs. Detroit
Ohtani, 101, April 24 vs. Houston
Ohtani, 101, April 24 vs. Houston
Ohtani, 100.7, April 24 vs. Houston
Ohtani, 100.6, April 24 vs. Houston