"Before Sunday's game, Victor Martinez chatted with Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell. They each spent the past few years in Boston, where Farrell was the pitching coach.

After the game, Farrell said: "Victor brings a passion for the game that is infectious to all of those around him."

The Tigers have felt that passion since camp started, and Sunday they got an in-game glimpse of what a nice addition Martinez can be. He caught scoreless outings by four pitchers and drove in a run in the Tigers' 1-0 win.

Manager Jim Leyland said of Martinez's sixth-inning sacrifice fly: "Victor did what some of the good hitters do -- expanded the strike zone just enough. That pitch was probably not a strike. But he expanded enough and got at it."

Martinez caught four right-handers Sunday: former Boston teammate Brad Penny (two innings), Max Scherzer (two), Joel Zumaya (one) and Joaquin Benoit (one).

"For not having caught some of our guys before, he looked very comfortable," Leyland said. "He knows what he's doing back there. He's pretty relaxed.""