DETROIT -- After the rough season that Victor Martinez went through in 2017, Tuesday night was the continuation of a refreshing change. In the second inning of the Tigers' 4-2 win over the Orioles, Martinez walloped his first home run of the season, a two-run dinger that nearly cleared the bullpens.
Tuesday not only marked the fourth multi-hit game for Martinez, but it was also his second three-hit game of the season. It was the first hit of the night, however, that provided the Tigers with the crucial run support they needed to remain in the game.
"It's great [to see him hitting well]," Buck Farmer said of his teammate. "He's a huge part in our lineup, so him getting three knocks [is great]. Not only that, but the games before that, swinging the bat not only from the left side but from the right side, too, is great to see."
Martinez's home run put the Tigers up, 2-0, with Nicholas Castellanos scoring after he drew a walk to start the inning. Andrew Cashner retired the Tigers 1-2-3 in the first inning, but Martinez tattooed the 91-mph fastball well enough to keep it out of the park.
The home run continues a hot streak that Martinez has been on, a sharp contrast to the conclusion of his disappointing 2017. With Tuesday's homer, Martinez now has 10 hits in his past eight games, with three doubles and five RBIs in that stretch. He recorded a three-hit game on Tuesday, with singles in the sixth and eighth innings.
Martinez was plagued with ongoing heart problems last season, and he missed the final month of the 2017 season because of an irregular heartbeat that required a heart ablation procedure.