Kansas City, Mo. ? Brandon Duckworth had an easy time keeping emotions in check during his first major-league appearance in almost a year. His body was a different story.

“I was just trying to slow my body down. My body was getting out in front of me,” the veteran right-hander said.

Despite falling behind, 3-0, after seven batters, Duckworth settled down and went five shaky innings as Kansas City rallied to beat Detroit, 7-3, on Sunday and snap a seven-game losing streak. It was Duckworth’s first major-league win as a starter in more than two years.

“It seems like a long time, I know that,” he said.

Mark Teahen, back at third base this weekend for the first time since 2006, drove in three runs as the Royals beat Kenny Rogers (9-11) and won for just the third time in 17 games.

“It seemed like months since we’d had a four-run lead,” manager Trey Hillman said.

Duckworth (1-0), brought up on Sunday from Triple-A Omaha, faced 24 batters and 11 reached base, on seven hits and four walks. He did not record a strikeout in getting his first major-league win as a starter since beating Milwaukee on June 24, 2006.

“My arm wasn’t getting up, which made the ball run all over the place,” he said. “Early on, it wasn’t the prettiest of lines or the prettiest of things. But I was able to kind of calm down a little bit and keep us there, make some pitches so they didn’t get anything too out of hand. Guys were making good defensive plays. Just to hold them right there was big.”

The four-year major-league veteran hadn’t won in the majors since last Sept. 25 when he was the winner in relief in a 9-5 victory over Chicago.