The Kansas City Royals got three consecutive hits in the eighth inning to score two runs and claim a 3-2 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game series.

Back-to-back doubles by Adalberto Mondesi -- his third hit of the night -- and Jorge Soler tied the score. Terrance Gore pinch-ran for Soler, stole third and scored on a bloop single by Cheslor Cuthbert that dropped between three fielders in right.

Scott Barlow (2-2) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Ian Kennedy picked up his fifth save in seven chances, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning.

Victor Alcantara (2-1) took the loss.

The Tigers wasted a great effort from Spencer Turnbull, who scattered four hits over six scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out five. It was only the third start out of 14 this year in which Turnbull did not allow an earned run.

Jakob Junis also had a quality start for Kansas City. He allowed just two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.

Nicholas Castellanos hit his 100th career home run, a two-out shot in the first, to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. The homer was a no-doubter, traveling 427 feet to left center.

Junis continues to struggle in the first inning, giving up a run in the frame for the ninth time in 14 starts. His ERA in those first innings is 8.36, compared to 4.71 in the other innings.

The long ball hurt Junis again in the fourth. Brandon Dixon sent one to the same region as Castellanos but 20 feet farther into the fountains. Fortunately for Junis, they were both solo shots.

The Royals got back-to-back two-out hits in the fifth, but Alex Gordon struck out with runners on second and third.

In the seventh inning, Ryan O'Hearn was the first Royal to face a member of the Tigers' bullpen, and he connected for his sixth home run of the season. He broke an 0-for-15 slump with his 439-foot blast to right off Blaine Hardy.

--Field Level Media