Tigers 8, Royals 2: Alex Avila belted a two-run homer and Victor Martinez had three hits and two RBIs to power visiting Detroit in the opener of a three-game series.

J.D. Martinez added two hits and two RBIs and Miguel Cabrera delivered a run-scoring double as the Tigers won for the eighth time in 11 games. Rick Porcello (4-1) won his third straight start, giving up two runs on four hits over seven innings.

Billy Butler homered and Omar Infante had two hits and scored for Kansas City, which dropped its second in a row following a three-game winning streak. Royals ace James Shields (3-3) had his three-start winning streak snapped, getting battered for eight runs - seven earned - on 12 hits over 6 1/3 innings.

The Tigers went ahead in the third on a one-out single by Torii Hunter and back-to-back RBI doubles from Cabrera and Victor Martinez before tacking on three more runs in the fourth. J.D. Martinez led off with a double and Avila followed with a two-run shot to right-center before a pair of singles and Hunter's double-play grounder plated another run for a 5-1 edge.

Butler answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning - his first homer since Sept. 28, 2013 - but Detroit broke it open with three runs in the seventh. Victor Martinez delivered an RBI single off Shields and J.D. Martinez ripped a two-run double against reliever Kelvin Herrera to make it 8-2.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Hunter has hit safely in nine straight games while Cabrera extended his hitting streak to eight contests. ... The Tigers signed former All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan to a one-year deal Friday. Hanrahan, who saved 76 games with Pittsburgh in 2011-12, made nine appearances for Boston last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery in May. ... The Royals placed LHP Bruce Chen (back) on the 15-day disabled list Friday and recalled RHP Aaron Brooks from Triple-A Omaha.