KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- 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.

The Royals hadn't been shut out in their home opener since 1971

and had never 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 8 2/3 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 RBI.

Ryan, 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.

"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.

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."

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 7 1-3 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 with tightness in the lower back. A spokesman said he would

be re-evaluated on Tuesday.Game notes
The Royals had not been shut out in their home opener since

a 2-0 loss to Minnesota in 1971. ... Gus Zernial, the left fielder

for the 1955 Kansas City Athletics, did not arrive in time to throw

out the ceremonial first pitch. He could not get out of Denver

because of the snow storm. Former Royals RHP Kevin Appier took his

place. ... The Mariners have allowed a first-inning run only once

in seven games. ... By general manager Allard Baird's count, 10

Royals were in their first major league home opener. ... Everyone

in the Mariners' lineup had at least one hit.