By Jill Ciampa

Starting the season off at home, the Detroit Tigers won against the Kansas City Royals in front of 45,000 fans at Comerica Park, the largest turn out for an opening day game.

The Tigers pulled out the first run in the second inning, but let the Royals gain a three run lead over them in the fourth.

Up until the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers lagged behind at a meager 1-3 to the Rangers. Miraculously, centerfielder Austin Jackson pulled out a triple and catcher Alex Avila walked after him. Third baseman Nick Castellanospulled Jackson in for a run with a single.

When first baseman Miguel Cabrera stepped up to the plate, there was an ease in the crowd. With three balls and two strikes, Cabrera held fans at the edge of their seats, wondering if he would make or break the tie game. Cabrera walked, with designated hitter/ catcher Victor Martinez hitting high outfield behind third base, but finishing the end of the eighth as it was caught.

With tightly breath held at the top of the ninth, fans watched Joe Nathan pitches the final strike to second baseman Omar Infante, a former Tigers player. Jackson led the bottom of the ninth off by bouncing between second and third and almost outrunning the throw to get him out at first. Avila walked to first, replaced by Tyler Collins, the pinch runner. Castellanos drove the ball into right field, hitting a single for himself and getting Collins out to third base.

The Royals put in – Holland to pitch, which wasn’t enough to hold back position Alex Gonzalez from hitting a base hit into left field and rounding in Collins for a 4-3 win for the Tigers.