Royals’ Lima wins again, 5-3

? This was personal.

Jose Lima faced Detroit wanting to do more than merely extend his remarkable return to the big leagues.

He wanted to show Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski, who released him last year, that he could still pitch. And Lima did just that Sunday, going seven innings and leading Kansas City to a 5-3 victory.

“He released me last year without me doing (anything),” Lima said. “I didn’t do drugs. I didn’t kill (anybody). I just want to pitch. I spent 43 days without pitching in the bullpen, like I was nobody. Sometimes when it gets to be 14-0, they call in the ninth inning with two out, ‘Lima get up.’ Come on.”

Lima was released by the Tigers last year with a 4-6 record and an earned-run average of 7.77. After giving up two hits and two runs Sunday, the former NL All-Star is 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA for the Royals.

“I have nothing against the (Tiger players). They work their tail off every year,” he said. “Today I felt a little more excited ’cause I’ve got to prove to them that I can still do it. My teammates backed me up with five runs and some great defense. I settled down, I kept the ball down.”

Dombrowski was not in Kansas City to see the Tigers lose three of four to the Royals and commit two errors in the first inning.

“We were very sloppy that first inning, and that didn’t set a good tone,” Detroit manager Alan Trammell said.

Lima (4-0) gave up five walks and struck out five. He loaded the bases on a single and two walks in the first inning, then walked Eric Munson, forcing in a run.

Kansas City's Desi Relaford, right, steals second base while Detroit shortstop Ramon Santiago waits for the throw. Relaford and the Royals won, 5-3, Sunday at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

Munson also homered in the fourth.

Mike MacDougal pitched the ninth for his 10th straight save and 24th in 29 chances.

Desi Relaford had three hits and two RBIs for the AL Central-leading Royals, who went 6-5 on their homestand.

Aaron Guiel doubled off rookie Matt Roney (1-3) in the first, went to third on an error by right fielder Craig Monroe and scored on Relaford’s single. Relaford stole second and third, then came around when Munson let the ball get away from him at third. It was the second of the Tigers’ three errors.

Michael Tucker homered with one out in the fourth, giving him 13 for the year, just two short of his career high. Tucker had four homers, three doubles, two triples and 12 RBIs on the homestand.

When: 9:05 Tuesday night.Where: Edison Field, Anaheim, Calif.Television: Royals Network (Sunflower Broadband Channel 6).Pitchers: Darrell May (2-4) vs. John Lackey (6-7).K.C. record: 47-39 (3 1/2 up).

Relaford singled with two outs in the fifth and came around to score when Munson threw wildly on Carlos Beltran’s infield single.

Relaford made it 5-2 in the seventh with an RBI double. In the eighth, Dmitri Young doubled and scored on Carlos Pena’s double off Jason Grimsley. The Tigers then loaded the bases with two outs, but newly acquired Curtis Leskanic came in and struck out Matt Walbeck.

Roney gave up four runs, five hits and four walks in five innings.

The Tigers agree that Lima’s back on top of his game.

“Hats off to Lima,” Young said. “He’s back. I don’t know if he had a humbling experience or not going to the independent league. Whatever it was, his stuff today was great. He kept me off-balance and made a lot of guys look bad.”

Notes: Detroit OF Cody Ross is day to day with a bruised tailbone. … When Relaford stole third in the first inning, it marked the 15th straight theft by the Royals without getting caught. … The Royals acquired SS Gookie Dawkins from the Dodgers’ Triple-A club for LHP Scott Mullen and SS Victor Rodriguez, and got RHP Jim Serrano from the New York Mets’ organization. … The two teams combined for 14 home runs in the four-game series.