DETROIT ? Neifi Perez wasn’t happy with the way Detroit’s Bobby Higginson tried to take him out at second base Wednesday.

The rest of the Kansas City Royals weren’t thrilled, either, and they came out of the dugout and bullpen in a near-brawl during the Tigers’ 7-6 victory.

“That’s dirty baseball, but if they want to play that way, I’ll play that way,” Perez said. “I’ll start throwing the ball at guys.”

A season after a bench-clearing brawl started by Detroit’s Jeff Weaver and Kansas City’s Mike Sweeney, tempers broke out again.

After Higginson grounded into a double play that ended the eighth inning, Perez took exception to Damian Jackson’s slide into second, as well as one by Higginson earlier in the game.

Perez, the Royals shortstop, said so to Detroit first-base coach Rafael Landestoy in Spanish, Higginson demanded to know what Perez was saying, and an argument ensued as dugouts and bullpens emptied.

“I wasn’t even talking to Higginson, but he started yelling at me,” Perez said. “He and Jackson were both way out of the baseline and they also used their hands to hit me.”

Higginson, who was called out for interference for his third-inning takeout slide, was angered that Perez didn’t confront him directly.

“I was on base all day, so if he had anything to say to me, he could have said it,” Higginson said. “There was nothing wrong with the slides that’s just baseball. But we play a lot of games against this team, and I guess it is natural for tempers to flare, especially after last year.”

Jackson seemed surprised at Perez’s complaint.

“I don’t play dirty, because I have to play up the middle too. I’m not about to grab a guy I just came back from splitting my finger to the bone,” said Jackson, activated April 21 after a stint on the DL caused by a cut right middle finger.

With the win, the Tigers moved out of last place Wednesday with the win.

“This is a great way to finish a homestand,” said Wendell Magee, who had a homer and two RBIs. “It is getting fun again.”

Detroit (9-17), which had held a share of the AL Central cellar since the start of the season, moved past Kansas City (8-17), which dropped to 0-2 under interim manager John Mizerock, who took over this week after Tony Muser was fired.

“We’re not expecting a miraculous turnaround in one day,” Mizerock said. “We’re going to focus on taking small steps.”

Jamie Walker (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings, and Juan Acevedo got six outs for Detroit’s first save this season. The Tigers improved to 9-11 under manager Luis Pujols, who replaced Phil Garner after an 0-6 start. Detroit finished its homestand 5-1, winning back-to-back series for the first time since taking three straight last July.

Kansas City led 4-2 in the fifth before Higginson hit an RBI single off Dan Reichert and Shane Halter hit a three-run homer, his first since last Oct. 4 against Minnesota.

“He had a 1-2 count and I was just looking to put the ball in play up the middle,” Halter said. “But he hung a pitch that I could hit.”

But the Royals retied the score in the sixth when third baseman Jose Macias threw wildly to first on Luis Alicea’s two-out grounder, allowing two runs to score on the error.

Cory Bailey (0-3) walked Halter and Jacob Cruz with one out in the seventh, and Wendell Magee followed with the go-ahead single.

Reichert allowed six runs on 10 hits and two walks in six innings.

“This is my fifth start, and in five out of five, it has been one bad pitch that has really hurt me,” Reichert said. “Today, it was the slider I hung to Halter.”

Detroit starter Seth Greisinger gave up four runs and five hits in four-plus innings. Greisinger was making his second start since missing most of 1999 and all of 2000 and 2001 with elbow problems.

“I don’t think I was throwing the ball really well,” Greisinger said. “I was just really inconsistent. My mechanics are going to take time.”

Magee homered in the second and Higginson hit an RBI single in the third, but the Royals chased Greisinger in the fifth on Alicea’s RBI single and a run-scoring throwing error by right fielder Robert Fick. Carlos Beltran tied it with a two-run triple off Jose Paniagua.

Notes: The Royals are 1-7 in games that A.J. Hinch starts behind the plate. … Alicea has a .333 average in 96 at-bats with the bases loaded. … Cruz made his first major league start at first base.