Stewart had 2 homers, 6 RBIs as Tigers beat Royals 11-8

Christin Stewart hit his first two big-league homers and drove in six runs Thursday night, leading the Detroit Tigers past the Kansas City Royals 11-8.

Stewart, a September call-up playing in his 11th game, became the first Tigers rookie to drive in six runs in a game since Ryan Raburn had seven against the Chicago White Sox on July 25, 2007.

Six Tigers had at least two hits and Detroit snapped a seven-game home losing streak. Kansas City has lost five in a row.

Detroit Tigers' Victor Martinez, left, is caught in a rundown by Kansas City Royals second baseman Adalberto Mondesi during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

The Tigers led 9-5 after two innings as the teams combined for five home runs, six doubles, a triple and a double steal. By that point, both starting pitchers were gone. Detroit's Matthew Boyd allowed five runs while getting four outs. Kansas City's Jorge Lopez (2-5) gave up seven runs without getting an out in the second.

Zac Reininger (1-0), the second of seven Detroit pitchers, picked up his first major-league victory.

Jorge Bonifacio gave the Royals the lead with a three-run homer off Boyd in the first, but the Tigers came back with four in the bottom of the inning. Stewart hit a two-run homer to right and Nicholas Castellanos hit the next pitch to nearly same spot.

Kansas City Royals staring pitcher Jorge Lopez throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

Grayson Greiner made it 4-3 with a sacrifice fly later in the inning, and the runs kept coming in the second. Brian Goodwin gave the Royals a 5-4 lead with a two-run homer in the top of the inning, but Stewart made it five RBIs in two innings with a three-run home run in the Tigers' second.

Glenn Sparkman replaced Lopez and gave up a triple to Castellanos and Victor Martinez's RBI double before getting the first out of the second inning. Greiner picked up his second RBI with a two-out single, giving the Tigers a 9-5 lead.

Hunter Dozier hit a two-run homer off Reininger in the fourth, pulling the Royals within 9-7, but the next four relievers combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings as Detroit maintained the lead into the ninth inning.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matthew Boyd throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

Stewart walked with the bases loaded in the seventh inning for his sixth RBI.

Adalberto Mondesi homered off Shane Greene in the ninth to make it 11-8.

V-MART KEEPS HIS RECORD

In the first inning, Victor Martinez lined a ball into the right-center field gap — the perfect place for a triple at spacious Comerica Park — but his lack of speed turned it into a double. With nine games left in his final season, Martinez has 3,937 plate appearances for the Tigers without hitting a triple, the most in franchise history. Aaron Robinson is second with 868.

Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield beats the tag of Detroit Tigers third baseman Ronny Rodriguez and steals third during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

UP NEXT

The teams continue their four-game series on Friday night, with Ian Kennedy (2-8, 4.73) starting against Detroit's Francisco Liriano (5-10, 4.54).

Detroit Tigers center fielder Christin Stewart watches as a fan catches the the ball on a three-run home run by Kansas City Royals' Jorge Bonifacio during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

Kansas City Royals' Jorge Bonifacio looks skyward as he scores on his three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers center fielder JaCoby Jones jumps but is unable to catch the two-run home run by Kansas City Royals' Hunter Dozier during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matthew Boyd is relieved during the second inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)