CLEVELAND -- The Tigers’ 106th loss of the season, their 17th loss to the Indians in 2019 and their 16th consecutive loss to the Tribe included a lot of the kind of stuff -- invisible offense, botched baserunning and defensive drama -- that has added up to the ugly record.

But because the results long ago ceased to matter much, it was a no-decision for the starting pitcher -- and birthday boy -- that was the most important Tiger takeaway in this 10-inning, 2-1 defeat on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. Because even if the team, at large, continued what now ties Detroit’s longest losing streak to a single opponent, at least Spencer Turnbull got off the Tribe schneid.

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Turnbull turned 27 on Wednesday but also matured in a way that had nothing to do with the calendar. With five strong innings in which he allowed just a run on six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks, Turnbull looked confident and in command at a time when the Tigers’ staff has been encouraging him to trust his stuff.

“One of the big things is a mindset thing,” Turnbull said. “Just being more aggressive early in the zone. As a mindset, I kind of got away from that.”

Turnbull’s rookie season began promisingly. He had a 2.78 ERA and a .670 opponents’ OPS through 14 starts -- a bright spot in a sour season.

His next 13 starts were a different story, with a 7.62 ERA and a .939 opponents’ OPS. Manager Ron Gardenhire said it was a matter of the mental “cobwebs” getting in the way, with Turnbull too focused on trying to make the ball move instead of focusing on throwing to the glove and letting his wicked stuff act on its own.

Something seemed to click for Turnbull in his last start against the Yankees, and it maintained against an Indians team that had previously turned Turnbull inside-out.

“He was a lot more confident tonight on the mound,” Gardenhire said. “His ball was moving all over the place, and you saw some bad swings from hitters over there that are really good hitters. He jammed a lot of guys, his ball was moving all over the place and he feels really good about himself, which is a great step forward for our team.”

Turnbull got 18 swings and misses, and the contact he did allow was of the weak variety. Turnbull’s fastball has been difficult to barrel up all season because of its late movement, and that was the case on a night when the only run against him was brought in by a broken-bat Carlos Santana single with two outs in the third.

“Establishing the fastball and getting ahead early is what I’m trying to do,” Turnbull said.

On this night, he was -- whether he realized it or not -- trying to avoid some statistical ignominy. With an 0-5 record against the Indians this season, Turnbull was in danger of becoming just the second Tigers pitcher since at least 1908 to lose six times to one opponent. The only other Detroit pitcher to do so was Dizzy Trout against the Yankees in 1942.

But while Turnbull wasn’t efficient enough to go past the fifth and didn’t get the win, at least he didn’t get Dizzy.

“I think right now I’m just trying to get better myself,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter who the opponent is.”

The Tigers clearly haven’t had much luck with this particular opponent. The only other times in club history that a Detroit team has lost 16 straight games to a single opponent was against the A’s from May 6, 2017, to May 19, 2019, and to the Twins from May 6, 2002, to Aug. 1, 2003.

The pitching staff put up a valiant effort in trying to end that drought against a Tribe team for whom every win -- and every run -- counts dearly right now. David McKay, Bryan Garcia and Buck Farmer all picked up where Turnbull left off by turning in strong relief work.

But aside from a manufactured run in the top of the third, the offense was hard to come by against Aaron Civale. Christin Stewart was thrown out trying to score from second on a Brandon Dixon single in the fourth after he stutter-stepped around the third-base bag, and shortstop Willi Castro and reliever Jose Cisnero both bobbled balls in the 10th to help the Indians set up Yasiel Puig’s walk-off single off the right-field wall.

Such is life for the Tigers this season and in this matchup. But the Turnbull turnaround was a pure positive on another lost night.