DETROIT (Ticker) -- Jason Johnson started 2005 virtually the same way he began last year.

Johnson allowed just five hits and a walk in 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Detroit Tigers won the rubber game of their season-opening series with the Kansas City Royals , 7-3.

"He pitched an outstanding game" Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. "He was the difference in the game."

The 31-year-old Johnson (1-0) threw 53 of 76 pitches for strikes and struck out four before departing with a 1-0 lead.

"I felt pretty good today, my mechanics were good and I had great defense behind me," Johnson said. "It was a great game altogether. If you don't have a lot of runs to work with, you just try harder. It's great to have a great bullpen like ours behind you."

Signed as a free agent in December 2003, Johnson worked six scoreless innings in a 7-0 victory over Toronto in his first start last season. It was one of few strong starts in his first season with Detroit as he went 8-15 with a 5.13 ERA.

Rondell White broke a scoreless tie in the sixth with a homer off Mike Wood (0-1).

"It was a slider that I tried to stay back on," White said. "It felt good to hit it for Johnson, he was pitching his heart out."

The Tigers broke the game open an inning later with six runs, highlighted by Ivan Rodriguez 's RBI double off rookie third baseman Mark Teahen 's glove. Rodriguez went 4-for-5 after managing two hits through the first two games.

Carlos Guillen , who drove in the first run of the big inning with the single, hit a line drive off Royals starter Zack Greinke 's right forearm with one out in the third. The 21-year-old Greinke, who led Kansas City starters with a 3.97 ERA last year, left the game but X-rays were negative and he will be re-evaluated on Friday.

"You could see from his warmup pitches with the trainer that he would not be able to continue," Royals manager Tony Pena said.

Emil Brown hit a two-run homer off closer Troy Percival in the ninth for the Royals, who managed just five hits through the first seven innings after pounding out 15 on Wednesday.

David DeJesus singled in five at-bats for Kansas City, extending his hitting streak to 18 games dating to last season.

The Tigers were playing without outfielder Magglio Ordonez , who was sidelined with a viral infection. He left in the fifth inning of Wednesday's 7-2 loss after experiencing dizziness.

Bobby Higginson played right field in place of Ordonez and had two hits and an RBI for Detroit, which has lost the last five season series against Kansas City.

"We have a history of struggling against the Royals," Trammell said. "They are a scrappy team and it was nip and tuck until the end. By winning two of three, we set a good tone."