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Tigers win home opener, beat Royals

Apr 8, 2011 - 10:27 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Victor Martinez belted a three-run double as Detroit opened Comerica Park for the 2011 season with a 5-2 win over Kansas City.

Jhonny Peralta batted in two runs on two hits for the Tigers, who started the season going 2-4 on the road. Will Rhymes added two hits for Detroit, which took the opener of the three-game series.

Max Scherzer (1-0), who went 8-4 last year at home, continued to enjoy the friendly confines of Comerica Park, going six innings deep and allowing just one run on seven hits.

Chris Getz collected three hits and scored once for the Royals, who had a four-game win streak snapped with a 10-7, 12-inning loss to the White Sox on Wednesday. Melky Cabrera, Alex Gordon, and Billy Butler each had two hits in the loss.

Kyle Davies (0-1) was roughed up for five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Davies got in trouble during the home team's first at-bat. Rhymes singled while Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera walked to load the bases with one out. Martinez came up to drill a one-hop double off the right field fence to empty the bases.

Martinez then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Peralta's double that sliced down the left field line. Davies finally got out of the inning on Alex Avila's fly out to left, but not before throwing 40 pitches to get three outs.

The Royals got a run back during the third after Getz ripped a two-out double and crossed home on a Melky Cabrera's triple.

Davies found himself in trouble again during the third. This time he pegged Miguel Cabrera then walked Martinez and Brennan Boesch to load the bases. However, the Tigers only produced one run in on Peralta's sacrifice fly deep to left.

The Kansas City starter was pulled in the fourth after putting two runners on base. Davies' replacement, Nathan Adcock, came in to pitch 3 1/3 innings of shutout ball.

The Royals tagged on a two-out run in the seventh after Butler's bloop hit down the right field line scored Melky Cabrera. Daniel Schlereth retired Kila Ka'aihue on a ground ball to escape a jam with runners at the corners.

The Tigers then held on as Jose Valverde came into the ninth to record his second save of the season.

Game Notes

The Tigers were one of the majors' best home teams in 2010 with an excellent 52-29 mark...Scherzer improved to 3-2 against the Royals...Davies fell to just a 3-9 record in 13 starts against Detroit...The Tigers won 10 of 18 meetings with Kansas City last season, including five of the nine matchups held in Detroit.