LOS ANGELES — Miguel Cabrera may be the best hitter on the planet, but Victor Martinez stole the spotlight from the reigning American League MVP on Wednesday night.
Martinez’s home run in the top of the 10th inning snapped a tie and lifted the Detroit Tigers to a 7-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Martinez, who started the game at catcher before moving to first base, homered off Dodgers right-hander Kenley Jansen (0-1), giving the Tigers a split in the two-game series. Martinez also had a game-tying, RBI single off Jansen in the ninth inning Tuesday.
“Vic takes hitting very seriously,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “His main focus is to try to get the barrel of the bat to the ball. If you watch him on a regular basis, he’s fighting to get the barrel on the ball. If a pitcher’s going to get him out, he’s going to make it very difficult on him. He’ll foul off pitches and foul off pitches and find a way.”
It didn’t appear the Tigers would need another clutch hit from Martinez on this night. Thanks to third baseman Nick Castellano’s three-run homer in the third inning, the Tigers took a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
Left-hander Drew Smyly had pitched three scoreless innings in relief of starter Anibal Sanchez, giving way to closer Joe Nathan to start the final frame. Nathan (2-0) gave up a leadoff homer to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, but the trouble was only just beginning.
Nathan walked right fielder Andre Ethier and center fielder Matt Kemp, then gave up a single to third baseman Juan Uribe, loading the bases.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly sent up Yasiel Puig to pinch-hit, but Puig, out since Saturday because of a sore left thumb, struck out on three pitches for the first out of the inning.
Pinch hitter Scott Van Slyke drove in the second run of the inning when he grounded into a fielder’s choice, leaving runners at the corners. Second baseman Dee Gordon lined a two-out single to right field to drive in the tying run and send the game into extra innings.
All the excitement felt in the ballpark quickly dissipated when Martinez led off the 10th with a homer.
“He’s just a really good hitter,” Mattingly said of Martinez. “Last night he hits a ball on the corner on the backside into left-center field for the single to tie it, and today we were trying to get in on his hands, get that ball up underneath him. And it just didn’t get there.”
The Dodgers tried to make things interesting in the bottom of the 10th.
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez led off with an infield single off right-hander Joba Chamberlain, who was replaced by Ian Krol. The left-hander struck out both Gonzalez and Ethier before Ausmus went to his bullpen again, summoning right-hander Al Alburquerque to face Kemp, who grounded out to end it.
“This game didn’t go exactly as we planned, but walking away with a win is a huge plus,” Ausmus said. “If we would have lost that game, it would have stung a little bit.”
Without the use of the designated hitter, Ausmus had to get creative with his lineup the last two nights in the National League ballpark. Castellanos didn’t play Tuesday, but he made the most of his chance Wednesday.
His three-run home run off Dodgers right-hander Josh Beckett turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead in the third inning.
Beckett was making his first major league start since May 13 of last year, having dealt with a variety of injuries. He looked good in spurts — striking out three consecutive hitters at one point — but was undone by Castellanos’ homer.
Beckett allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and one walk in four innings.
“Josh was kind of back and forth for me,” Mattingly said. “He seemed like he would get into his rhythm for a few hitters where he’s keeping the ball down and hitting spots, then all of a sudden he would get the ball up and fall out of his rhythm. So kind of good and bad with him.”
Sanchez gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk and was in line to get the victory before the Dodgers rallied in the ninth. Sanchez, though, had to work hard for every out, and he was finished after five innings and 110 pitches.
Martinez finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while Gordon and Uribe each had three hits for the Dodgers.
Cabrera, who played both first base and third base for Detroit, went 1-for-4.
NOTES: Tigers RHP Joe Nathan said before the game that he is going through a “dead arm” phase. He is 1-for-3 in save opportunities and has a 12.27 ERA. … Tigers RF Torii Hunter, who bruised his left knee when crashing into the short wall in foul territory chasing a fly ball Tuesday, did not play Wednesday. He is expected to be back in the lineup Friday when the Tigers play the Padres. OF Tyler Collins started in Hunter’s place and went 2-for-5, collecting his first major league hits. … Dodgers RHP Jose Dominguez, who had a 12.00 ERA in three relief appearances, was optioned to