Kansas City, Mo. ? The Kansas City Royals disappointed a lot of people.

The crowd of 41,788 was the largest ever to see a Royals home opener and the third-biggest regular-season gathering in Kauffman Stadium history.

So, what reward did fans reap for this rousing show of support on the heels of a 104-loss season?

The Royals’ most lopsided loss in any home opener.

Emergency starter Ryan Franklin took a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning, then the Seattle Mariners finally settled for a dominating 8-2 victory on Monday at “The K.”

The Royals hadn’t been shut out in their home opener since 1971 and never had lost their first home game by more than five runs.

“It was (Franklin’s) day,” Kansas City second baseman Ruben Gotay said. “Everything was working for him.”

Thrust into the rotation by an injury that put Bobby Madritsch on the 15-day disabled list, Franklin (1-0) kept the Royals flailing for 82/3 innings. He retired 15 consecutive batters before Gotay walked with one out in the ninth.

The Mariners batted around in a seven-run eighth as Ichiro Suzuki, Adrian Beltre and Miguel Olivo each had two RBIs.

Franklin, a 32-year-old right-hander who was 1-10 on the road last year in a 4-16 season, threw 16 straight strikes to begin the game.

Kansas City starting pitcher Runelvys Hernandez (40) walks off the mound after manager Tony Pena took him out of the game. The Mariners won, 8-2, spoiling the Royals' home opener Monday at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

“They didn’t swing at too many bad balls,” said Franklin, who made no secret of his disappointment at being moved to the bullpen at the end of spring training.

“I made pretty decent pitches. I didn’t leave too much over the middle of the plate. It was just one of those days. A lot of those balls could have fell in. A lot of those ground balls could have found the hole. But I had luck on my side today.”

Franklin walked two and struck out one and was charged with two runs. Mike Sweeney followed Gotay’s ninth-inning walk with a single, and then with two outs, Emil Brown hit an RBI single to break up the shutout and bring in J.J. Putz from the bullpen. Terrence Long singled off Putz.

“He didn’t throw any balls. Everything was strike, strike, strike,” Gotay said.

6News video: Royals fall to Mariners

Franklin, who last year became the first Mariner since 1992 to lose 15 games, gave up a double to Sweeney in the first inning, a single to Angel Berroa in the second and a single to Gotay in the third then shut down the Royals until the ninth.

Runelvys Hernandez (1-1), who missed the entire 2004 season after undergoing elbow surgery, went 71/3 innings and allowed six hits until Jeremy Reed’s one-out double in the eighth. Beltre then hit his first home run for a 3-1 lead.

“That one pitch got me out of the game,” Hernandez said. “I expected a better outing of myself.”

Hernandez gave up eight hits and four runs, with three walks and four strikeouts.

With the bases loaded in the eighth, reliever Nate Field gave up a two-run single to Olivo and a one-run single to Wilson Valdez that made it 6-0.

Suzuki, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 19 games dating to last season, then dropped a two-run double into left. Bret Boone had an RBI single off Hernandez in the fourth.

Royals third baseman Mark Teahen left the game in the second inning because of tightness in the lower back. A spokesman said he would be re-evaluated today.

Franklin, who threw an efficient 83 pitches, figures to get at least two more starts before Madritsch comes back from the DL.

“I feel like I should be a starter,” he said. “Until they take me out, I’ll just go out there every fifth day and pitch.”

Manager Mike Hargrove admitted he may have to reconsider his decision to put Franklin in the bullpen.

“That was as good a pitching performance as you’ll see,” Hargrove said. “I think he’ll get a couple of more starts at the very least. If he keeps pitching like this, then we’ll have to look at the possibility of him getting a whole lot more starts.”