DETROIT -- Jarrod Saltalamacchia came up to the plate in the ninth inning thinking he'd get a bunt sign. Then, he anticipated that his manager might try a hit-and-run.

He didn't get any of those signals. Then, he pointed everyone in the ballpark toward the exits.

The Detroit Tigers backup catcher hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, giving his team a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday at Comerica Park.

Saltamacchia drilled a 1-0 Joakim Soria pitch into the right-field stands after Tyler Collins led off the inning with a single.

"At that point, it felt really good because I was starting to get a little gassed," Saltamacchia said. "It's been seven or eight days since I've played, so I was ready to get out of there. It felt good to do whatever I could to help the team."

Francisco Rodriguez (1-0) got the win with an inning of scoreless relief. The Tigers took two of three games in the series.

Nick Castellanos had three extra-base hits and scored a run for Detroit.

Tigers rookie starter Michael Fulmer was sharp once again, though his streak of nine consecutive starts allowing no more than one earned run ended. He gave up two runs on six hits and struck out five in eight innings.

"I just tried to pitch to contact," Fulmer said. "I knew I had to go deep in the game today because the bullpen was taxed yesterday. My goal was seven innings, so to run me back out there in the eighth was pretty cool. And that bomb by Salty was unbelievable."

Cheslor Cuthbert and Eric Hosmer drove in Kansas City's runs. Royals starter Yordano Ventura allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out six in seven innings. Soria is now 3-4.

"It was a great outing," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Ventura. "We should have been in the ninth inning up 2-1 in that situation. He threw strikes, changed speed and stayed with himself with great stuff."

Yost thought the Tigers' first run was undeserved because of a questionable balk call by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn.

The Royals scored the first run on Cuthbert's two-out double in the second. He drove in Paulo Orlando, who reached on a bunt single.

They tacked on another run in the third when Hosmer drilled a one-out single to center that scored Jarrod Dyson, who had walked and advanced on a sacrifice.

Detroit loaded the bases with one out in the third but needed an assist from Ventura to score. Miguel Cabrera struck out looking, making him 0-for-10 with six strikeouts in bases-loaded situations this season.

With Victor Martinez up, Ventura committed the balk that allowed Jose Iglesias to trot in from third. Ventura responded by striking out Martinez.

"They said it was a non stop, and it was not even close," Yost fumed. "Nothing about that resembled a balk. He came set for a full second plus, and then did a nice slide step."

The Tigers made it 2-2 in the sixth, thanks to another Ventura blunder. Nick Castellanos tripled to right-center with two outs. On a 1-1 count to Justin Upton, Ventura threw a pitch in the dirt that bounced past catcher Salvador Perez, allowing Castellanos to race home.

Ventura wiggled out of a jam in the seventh, inducing a double-play grounder from the speedy Cameron Maybin with the bases loaded.

NOTES: The Tigers activated LF Justin Upton off the bereavement list and optioned RF Steven Moya to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday. Moya had four hits in his last 30 at-bats and also struggled mightily to field his position. "Part of it is he didn't want to make a mistake," manager Brad Ausmus said. "As a result, you become a little cautious." ... Royals RHP Edinson Volquez will start the first contest of a three-game series against AL Central-leading Cleveland on Monday night. Volquez already has faced the Indians three times this season, going 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA. ... The Royals had a 22-12 record against division foes entering Sunday's game. ... The seven walks drawn by Kansas City batters on Saturday night were a season high. ... The Tigers open a three-game home series against last-place Minnesota on Monday. Detroit is 6-0 against the Twins this season.