DETROIT -- After being activated from the DL earlier in the day, Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez entered Wednesday's game in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter and pounced on the first pitch he saw from White Sox pitcher Chris Sale, sending it into the shrubs above the center-field fence.
"I saw the pitch coming, and it looked nice and slow, and I just knew," he said.
Martinez's solo shot would prove to be the deciding run as Detroit held on for the 2-1 win and extended its winning streak to eight games.
"That was like a movie,'' Detroit infielder Ian Kinsler said. "That was something I've never seen before. It is certainly good to have him back."
Martinez, 28, received a long standing ovation when he made his way to the plate to hit for James McCann, and it only got louder as he launched Sale's fastball an estimated 434 feet.
"That was probably the coolest moment of my career," Martinez said. "I tried to go up there with a plan, but it was so crazy that I just decided to see the ball and hit the ball."
The crowd of 32,526 roared again during the musical tribute until Martinez took a curtain call.
"If I could thank every fan individually, I would," he said. "I didn't know what to do. I wasn't expecting any of that."
After playing a double-header with Triple-A Toledo the day before, Martinez didn't start Wednesday but was available to pinch hit if necessary. He is expected to start Thursday.
Martinez had been sidelined since mid-June with a fractured elbow. According to Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, Martinez has been throwing from 290 feet, so throwing from the outfield is not expected to be an issue when he takes the field again.
"When I read it, too, I was like, 'Is this a typo?'" Ausmus said. "But I double-checked. He said he was throwing basically from the outfield wall to home plate."
Said Martinez: "I threw it hard, threw good, so I don't have any doubt about my throwing."
Martinez, who led the team with 38 home runs last season, said the time missed has been frustrating, though the team's recent success has made it a little less mind-numbing.
"It's definitely been hard," Martinez told reporters of his time away. "It's been easier because we've been playing pretty well. I was down there, and I'm like, 'This is sweet. We're gaining ground right now.' Everything's good right now. Me and [Jordan Zimmermann] are on the verge of coming back now, and it was just exciting down there watching the games and watching the guys play so well."
The Tigers are in the thick of the race for the American League Central, sitting two games behind the Cleveland Indians, who fell 13-5 to the Twins on Wednesday. That's a stark contrast from last season, when the team had essentially waved the white flag, jettisoning a trio of key players at the trade deadline with the club's playoff chances looking bleak.
Martinez said he is excited to rejoin the team just as the playoff race heats up.
"That's what helps teams get through August and September," he said. "It's a long last couple months if you're out of it. You're kind of just grinding through, and the clubhouse is miserable. Last year that's kind of how it felt. It's tough to go out there and play, but you know when you're in it and you've got a shot to get to the playoffs, there's nothing like it."
Zimmermann, who was recently activated from the disabled list after being out with a neck strain, will take the mound Thursday in his first appearance since July 4.
"These guys have been playing great with J.D. down and myself," Zimmermann told reporters. "Guys stepped up nicely and have played well. We have a nice streak going, so hopefully that continues [Wednesday] and I can do my part [Thursday] and keep it going. I am just excited to get back."
Information from ESPN's Katie Strang and The Associated Press was used in this report.
