OAKLAND -- After going three weeks without hitting a home run Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez has rediscovered his power stroke.
Less than 24 hours after getting hit by a thrown ball that cost Detroit a possible run, Martinez made news for all the right reasons in Saturday's 12-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
Martinez padded his AL-leading road batting average with two hits, including his second homer in seven days, a towering two-run blast to right field that briefly tied the game at 3.
"Home runs come in bunches for a lot of guys," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "They're going to go through dry spells, then they're going to get hot and hit a bunch in 10 days. He was still hitting the ball well."
Like teammate Miguel Cabrera, Martinez has feasted on A's pitching over the years. He went 2-for-3 on Saturday to raise his average to .350 with seven home runs and 76 RBIs in 76 career games against Oakland.
That follows in line with what the Detroit slugger has done on the road this season. In 25 games away from Comerica Park, Martinez is batting at a .424 clip (36-for-85).
Not that he's struggled at home. With an overall average of .341 with 16 multi-hit games, it's clear Martinez is comfortable no matter what park he's hitting in.
"In Comerica Park he hit a couple balls 425 feet that were caught that would have been home runs in 28 out of 30 parks," Ausmus said.
Martinez's home run provided one of the few offensive highlights for Detroit. The Tigers were outhit 17-6, stranded a pair of baserunners in scoring position early and managed just one runner following the home run -- Jose Iglesias' one-out double in the seventh.
Leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler singled twice to go with Martinez's two hits. The rest of Detroit's offense managed just two hits combined.
"Just one of those days," Ausmus said.