Detroit ? Kenny Rogers was grilled by reporters, booed by fans and tagged by a couple of National League hitters.

Not exactly the All-Star experience he was hoping for.

But he did show up, and he did pitch – which was more than many expected.

“I didn’t want this to be a distraction, and hopefully it hasn’t been,” Rogers said Tuesday night after giving up a two-run homer to Andruw Jones in the AL’s 7-5 win. “I think people that know me know I’m not the kind of guy to take the easy way out.”

Suspended for 20 games and fined $50,000 for shoving two cameramen last month, the Texas lefty probably was the most talked-about player in baseball the last two weeks.

He kept pitching while the players’ union appealed his penalties, but some thought he shouldn’t attend the All-Star game because it would take attention away from other players and positive stories.

He kept his plans to himself until late Sunday, and when he showed up for the media availability Monday, he was swarmed by dozens of reporters and cameras in a hotel ballroom.

Rogers, who has declined most interview requests all season, calmly answered questions for 45 minutes, saying he came because he wanted the players who voted for him to know he appreciated it.

But he never gave an explanation for his tirade June 29, and Detroit fans weren’t appeased. They booed Rogers during pregame introductions at Comerica Park and again when he walked off the mound after pitching the seventh inning.

Rogers’ decision to show up cost Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman a chance for a replacement spot.

Rogers didn’t show much emotion as he strolled to the dugout after his outing. He just took off his cap, put it back on, then got a warm greeting in the dugout from his American League teammates.

Pitcher Kenny Rogers removes his cap after getting relieved in the seventh inning. Rogers gave up a two-run home run to Andruw Jones on Tuesday at Comerica Park in Detroit.

“I don’t really hold anything against anyone. People have their own reactions to stuff. I’m trying to deal with it the right way,” he said. “You make a mistake and make the best of it, and that’s what I’m trying to do here.”

The 40-year-old Rogers, a three-time All-Star, entered with the AL leading 7-0 and gave up a sharp single to his first batter, Luis Castillo.

Jones, tied for the major league lead with 27 homers, then drove a 1-1 pitch 420 feet over the left-field fence.

Jimmy Rollins reached on an infield single, but Rogers escaped further damage with a double-play grounder and a strikeout of Carlos Lee.

“I wanted to pitch,” Rogers said. “I didn’t pitch last year in the game, and at this stage of my career it’s not something that’s expected for me.”

AL manager Terry Francona of the Boston Red Sox said he never hesitated to put Rogers in the game.

“That’s not my job to judge Kenny,” Francona said. “Kenny made a mistake that we saw. : My job was to do what I thought put us in the best position to win the All-Star game, doing something different would be unfair to the American League, and that’s not what I’m supposed to do.”