DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers could not have asked for a better start to what they hope will be a special season.

Dmitri Young homered three times and Jeremy Bonderman allowed a run in seven innings as the Tigers routed the Kansas City Royals , 11-2, in the season opener for both teams.

Young joined Chicago Cubs outfielder Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes in 1994 and Toronto Blue Jays slugger George Bell in 1987 as players to hit three homers in an opener. He also tied a career high with five RBI.

Bonderman (1-0) allowed six hits and two walks and cruised after being staked to an early lead. The 22-year-old righthander struck out seven in his first career Opening Day start.

Bonderman, who was the youngest Opening Day starter in 87 years for Detroit, is the youngest starter to win on Opening Day since Dwight Gooden accomplished the feat for the New York Mets in 1986.

"He was very good today," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. "He was able to shut the Royals down after we scored. That is what wins games. He wanted to pitch today and he backed it up."

"I was a little nervous warming in the bullpen, but once the game started it was like any other start," Bonderman said. "I thought I threw well, every pitch was working for me, there's a lot more starts, I want to keep it going."

The game drew a crowd of 44,105, establishing a single-game record for Comerica Park. Just two seasons after losing an American League-record 119 games, the Tigers added payroll in the offseason.

Detroit also hosts this year's All-Star Game.

"A great game all around for us, it sets the tone for the rest of the season," Trammell said. "It's a good time to send a message."

"It was a good day for everyone, we played solid baseball," Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge said. "We got the first one under our belts, we have to keep this going."

Kansas City starter Jose Lima (0-1) was tagged for five runs and six hits in three innings. In his return to the Royals, the righthander had trouble keeping the ball in the park.

"I (stunk) today. No excuses, it was all my fault," Lima said. "Nobody died (though), we have 161 games left."

"There were taking his fastball and hitting his changeup," Royals manager Tony Pena said.

Young staked Detroit to 1-0 with a home run in the second inning and Inge added a two-run shot later in the inning.

Lima's biggest mistake came in the third, when with a base open and two outs, he chose to pitch to Young, who drilled a two-run homer.

Kansas City pushed across a run in the fifth, but Detroit tacked on three runs, highlighted by Craig Monroe 's two-run single.

Young capped his big day with a two-run blast off Mike MacDougal in the eighth.

"This is the best Opening Day for me," Young said. "You just go up to the plate and do the best you can every at-bat."

After Bonderman departed, Ugueth Urbina allowed a homer to Calvin Pickering in the eighth before closer Troy Percival worked a hitless ninth.

Kansas City fell to 4-14 in season openers on the road.