Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Will Rhymes' two-run triple in the 11th highlighted the four-run inning, and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Kansas City Royals, 9-5, in the first of three games at Kauffman Stadium.
Ryan Raburn added his ninth homer in 21 games and drove in two for the Tigers, who have won three of five. Raburn has been on a tear during the 21-game stretch, batting nearly .350 over his torrid streak.
Brandon Inge had two hits and two RBI, while Don Kelly had three hits in the win. Ryan Perry (3-5) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief after Jeremy Bonderman allowed four runs, seven hits and five walks in a 7 1/3-inning start.
Alex Gordon homered, while Yuniesky Betancourt drove in two runs for the Royals, who have lost five of seven. Zack Greinke had a no-hitter through 4 1/3 frames before faltering, giving up four runs, six hits and two walks while fanning only three in 6 1/3 frames.
Jesse Chavez (2-3) took the loss after allowing four runs -- two earned -- in the 11th.
The Tigers surged ahead in the 11th off Chavez.
Alex Avila singled with one away, and Casper Wells reached on an error. Rhymes followed with a drive to the right-center field gap, making it all the way to third on a two-run triple to give Detroit a 7-5 advantage.
After Johnny Damon was intentionally walked, Raburn's single gave the Tigers a three-run lead. Austin Jackson put down a suicide squeeze bunt to score Damon for a 9-5 contest.
Perry finished out the 11th without giving up a run.
The Royals staked Greinke to an early 4-0 lead with a big second inning.
Josh Fields singled, and Gordon worked a walk. Brayan Pena doubled to plate Fields with the game's first run, and, with runners on second and third with one out, Betancourt made it 3-0 with a single to center.
Gregor Blanco's triple to right scored Betancourt to cap the inning.
The Tigers, though, rallied to tie the game in the seventh.
Raburn worked a leadoff walk, and Brennan Boesch followed with a single. Two batters later, Kelly's single loaded the bases with one out.
Inge's base hit to center plated two runners, and Avila kept the hit parade going with another single to score Kelly for a 4-3 game. The Royals finally went to their bullpen, inserting Robinson Tejeda into the game.
Tejeda didn't fare much better, allowing a Wells single. On the play, Inge was unsure if center fielder Blanco would catch it, so he didn't get a good jump from second and was thrown out at home. Two batters later, however, Tejeda uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Avila to score the tying run.
Blake Wood started the next inning, and Raburn greeted him with a rainbow-like home run just inside the left-field foul pole.
Fields nearly answered for the Royals in the home half, but his deep drive off Bonderman was just foul to left. Bonderman eventually struck out Fields and exited in favor of Daniel Schlereth, who immediately gave up the game-tying homer to Gordon.
The Tigers lead the season series, 7-6...Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (biceps) did not play...Raburn hit 27 homers in his first 332 career games...Avila finished with two hits, as did Kansas City's Billy Butler and Chris Getz.