Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Eric Hosmer finished 5-for-5 with a three- run homer, powering the Kansas City Royals to a 10-2 win over the AL Central champion Detroit Tigers in the opener of a two-game set at Kauffman Stadium.
Hosmer's 18th home run of the season capped a six-run fourth inning for the Royals, who had won seven straight games before a loss on Sunday.
Salvador Perez and Melky Cabrera both collected three hits, with Perez matching Hosmer's three RBI.
Luis Mendoza (1-0), making his season debut for the Royals after earning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year honors, gave up two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and walked three in seven innings.
Detroit starter Brad Penny (10-11) surrendered seven runs and 10 hits over four frames.
Alex Gordon led off the home first with his 23rd home run, a drive to center field.
Kansas City took control of the game in the fourth. Perez, Alcides Escobar and Cabrera each plated a run with a single. Hosmer followed Cabrera's base hit with an opposite-field smash to left.
An RBI double by Austin Jackson put Detroit on the board in the fifth, but Perez clubbed a two-out, two-run homer off Duane Below in bottom of the inning to make it 9-1.
Delmon Young lifted a sacrifice fly in the seventh for Detroit before Jeff Francoeur capped the scoring in the eighth by plating Cabrera with a single.
Hosmer became the 26th player -- and sixth rookie -- in franchise history with at least five hits in a game...Detroit finished 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.