Tigers 2, Royals 1 (10): Ian Kinsler singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Detroit past Kansas City.

Kinsler went 3-for-5 with a homer as the Tigers defeated the Royals for the second time to open the campaign. Austin Jackson and Nick Castellanos reached base via walks in the 10th and Kinsler lined the decisive shot into the left-center field gap off Tim Collins (0-1).

Max Scherzer pitched eight shutout innings and struck out seven while allowing four hits and one walk. Joe Nathan blew his first save chance with the Tigers when he allowed a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to Alex Gordon in the ninth and Al Alburquerque (1-0) worked around a one-out infield single in the 10th.

Kinsler drove the first pitch he saw from Kansas City starter Jason Vargas in the fourth over the left-center field wall for his first home run since joining the Tigers. The run held up until Nathan let the lead get away in the ninth.

Omar Infante singled off Nathan with one out in the ninth and pinch runner Pedro Ciriaco stole second before Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler walked to load the bases and Gordon hit a sacrifice fly to left tie the score. Vargas struck out six and allowed five hits and one walk in seven innings his first start with Kansas City after being signed as a free agent.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Tigers manager Brad Ausmus challenged an out call at first base in the bottom of the sixth and the call was reversed when replays revealed Tyler Collins beat the throw to first. ... Kinsler had half of Detroit's six hits, while Infante had two of Kansas City's six hits. ... The Royals threatened in the eighth inning when Salvador Perez led off with a double, but Scherzer struck out Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain, and retired Alcides Escobar on a fly to right.