DETROIT -- Matt Boyd was not the top target for the Detroit Tigers when they traded away David Price last week. On Wednesday, however, he gave them another reason to feel good about dealing away their ace.

Boyd recorded his first major league victory in his Tigers debut, outdueling new Kansas City Royals ace Johnny Cueto in the Tigers' 2-1 win at Comerica Park.

The 24-year-old was one of three left-handers obtained in the trade that sent Price to the Toronto Blue Jays. Daniel Norris, considered the top prospect the Tigers acquired, won his Detroit debut at Baltimore on Sunday.

Boyd, who gave up one run on seven hits and struck out two in seven innings, received a standing ovation when he walked back to the dugout in the sixth. He got another one after he finished off a spotless seventh.

"It was just awesome," said Boyd, who lost his only two starts with the Blue Jays earlier this season. "I told Daniel Norris, it feels like we're home. It was rocking tonight. It meant a lot that all the fans did that. It was sweet. I'm never going to forget it."

Relying on his fastball and changeup, Boyd recorded 15 of his 21 outs through the air.

"I was really kind of feeling for my breaking balls (curveball and slider), both of them, throughout the whole game," he said. "I didn't have them until the last inning. I was just kind of searching for it, so you've really got to bear down and execute when you're really only throwing two pitches for strikes."

Catcher James McCann was impressed with Boyd's poise and ability to adapt.

"He mixed in everything," he said. "His changeup was a plus pitch tonight. He likes to throw his changeup, and the more I catch him, the more we get used to each other."

Alex Wilson got the last out to notch his second save, and center fielder Anthony Gose hit an RBI triple for the Tigers (52-55).

Making his second start since he was acquired from Cincinnati, Cueto allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts in seven innings. He took a no-decision at Toronto in his Royals debut, and he is now 0-1 with Kansas City, 7-7 on the year.

"I thought he was great," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He had all of his pitches working. He had a really good slider and changeup, and he spotted his fastball well. The one mistake, he got a pitch out over to Gose that he drove over (center fielder Lorenzo Cain's) head. Outside of that, he was fantastic."

It still wasn't good enough to spoil Boyd's magical night.

"He just pitched up in the zone," Yost said. "We couldn't center him up. We couldn't get on top of his elevated fastball."

Designated hitter Kendrys Morales tripled home the only run for the Royals (63-43).

The Tigers took the lead in the third on Gose's fifth triple of the season. His two-out smash over the head of Cain, who was playing shallow, knocked in left fielder Tyler Collins, who led off the inning with a double.

"With two outs in that situation, you're not expecting him to drill it over his head or Johnny throwing a pitch that he could drill over his head," Yost said.

Morales' rare triple evened the score in the fourth. First baseman Eric Hosmer smacked a two-out single before Morales ripped his shot into the left-center gap. It was his first triple since 2012 and the fifth of his career.

Another triple, second baseman Ian Kinsler's leadoff shot into the right-center gap, led to the other Detroit run. Kinsler scored on designated hitter Victor Martinez's groundout for a 2-1 edge in the fourth.

NOTES: Injured Kansas City LF Alex Gordon is expected to take batting practice this weekend when the team returns home. Gordon, on the disabled list since July 9 with a left groin strain, is hitting off a tee and doing some light running. "He's making good strides," manager Ned Yost said. ... The Royals began the day leading the majors with a .280 batting average with two outs. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander, who took the loss Tuesday, has not allowed a walk for 23 consecutive innings. That is the longest streak of his career. ... Tigers LHP Kyle Lobstein, on the disabled list since May 24 with a sore pitching shoulder, made his first rehab start with Class A Lakeland on Wednesday. He gave up two runs (one earned) in three innings.