DETROIT _ The weather has warmed up in downtown Detroit.
And so, too, has the Detroit Tigers' offense. Victor Martinez is heating up. Alex Avila is still hot. And J.D. Martinez?
"He rolled out of bed hot," manager Brad Ausmus said.
With the Tigers in an early hole, J.D. Martinez punched back. Victor Martinez pushed them ahead. And Avila put the finishing touch on another complete offensive performance as the Tigers took a hard-fought series against the Orioles Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park. They won, 6-5.
With the win, which came without Miguel Cabrera for a second consecutive day and two days after a heartbreaking loss in 13 innings, the Tigers jumped above the .500 mark for the season, at 20-19.
J.D. Martinez once again showed how much the Tigers missed him over the first month and a half of the season, hitting his fifth home run in six games in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game.
The Orioles jumped on Jordan Zimmermann with a two-run home run by Chris Davis in the first inning and added another on an RBI single by Seth Smith in the second inning.
J.D. Martinez's home run _ a shot to left-center field _ was the fourth in his short stint which has tied the game or given the Tigers the lead.
"Obviously, I think J.D. played a big part in this series, being back in the lineup," Ausmus said. "Victor is swinging the bat well and overall, the bullpen did a pretty good job."
To the bullpen in a minute. First, Zimmermann. After struggling for the majority of the early season, bad results chalked up to bad command and bad luck, the veteran right-hander showed his best swing-and-miss stuff all season, courtesy of his curveball.
He threw six innings and felt warmed up, too.
"It was much easier today," Zimmermann said. "I was able to get a sweat every inning and have a little tack on the ball when I'm using some forehead sweat."
Zimmermann struck out six _ a season-high _ but lost the lead on a solo home run to Adam Jones in the sixth inning.
The Tigers responded quickly, though, when Victor Martinez hit a two-run shot into the rightfield seats, his third of the season. After Justin Upton singled, Avila drove a RBI double into the leftfield corner for the game-deciding run.
After six innings, Zimmermann passed the baton to the bullpen trio of Blaine Hardy, Shane Greene and Alex Wilson, which has buoyed the unit as of late.
Hardy allowed a solo home run to Seth Smith. Greene was outstanding in 12/3 innings and Wilson picked up his second save of the season in the ninth inning.
The Tigers tallied 20 runs in the three-game series, which began ominously with Tuesday night's loss. They pitched well, outside of Matt Boyd's short start and Hardy's hiccup that night. They won a good series.
"I think it was pretty balanced," Ausmus said. "Solid pitching, good timely home runs."
The Tigers were at full strength for a day until Cabrera sustained a left oblique strain in batting practice. But J.D. Martinez _ swinging so hot since he returned almost a week ago _ has more than made up for playing short-handed.
"I hope he doesn't cool down for another 4{ months," Ausmus said.
