ARLINGTON -- Leonys Martin had plenty of returns to his old home at Globe Life Park as a member of the Mariners, but he never had a game like this.
Back in Texas for the first time as a member of the Tigers, Martin put on an all-around show Monday, making a four-star diving catch and hitting a clutch two-run homer in the Tigers' 7-6 loss to the Rangers.
Martin made his Major League debut with the Rangers in 2011, just a few months after the team signed him out of Cuba. He called Texas home until he was traded to the Mariners following the 2015 season. The Tigers signed him last winter hoping for a bounce-back year. They've gotten that and more, with Monday as a prime example of the impact he can have on a game.
Martin, who roamed center field here for three-plus seasons, covered 82 feet in 4.5 seconds to run down Delino DeShields' drive in left-center. Statcast™ gave the drive a 27 percent catch probability, making it a four-star play.
Two innings later, Martin began his offensive display off lefty Matt Moore, hitting a ball to the 407-foot sign in right-center for a double that extended the third inning and ignited a three-run rally. He then scored easily on Nicholas Castellanos' single to center.
After a fourth-inning walk, Martin came back up with two outs in the sixth and took a slower path around the bases, driving a two-run homer 392 feet to right field, his fifth long ball of the season.
He finished 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, two RBIs and a four-star catch on the night.