DETROIT (AP) — Kendrys Morales homered three times and set a team record with 15 total bases, and the Kansas City Royals routed the Detroit Tigers 10-3 on Sunday, avoiding a sweep in the three-game series.
Morales also hit a triple — only his second of the season — and Christian Colon had a career-high four hits for the AL Central-leading Royals. Paulo Orlando also homered for Kansas City.
Kris Medlen (5-1) allowed three unearned runs and five hits in five innings for Kansas City, which entered the day with an 11-game lead over second-place Minnesota in the division.
Detroit's Alfredo Simon (13-10) allowed eight runs and 13 hits in 4 1-3 innings.
Danny Duffy pitched four innings for first career save.
Morales homered in the third, fourth and eighth innings, becoming the first Kansas City player to go deep three times in a game since Danny Tartabull against Oakland on July 6, 1991. He ended up scoring five times on the day, but he was on deck when Eric Hosmer flied out and ended the top of the ninth.
Morales has 21 home runs on the year. He became the second player with 15 total bases in a game this season. Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets did it at Colorado on Aug. 21.
George Brett held the previous Royals record of 14 total bases. He did it in a 16-inning game in 1979.
The Royals scored two runs in the first, and Morales homered to lead off the third. Orlando's two-run homer later that inning made it 5-0.
Detroit scored three runs in the third, but Morales answered that with a solo homer the following inning. His third home run of the day was also a solo shot, easily clearing the wall in right off reliever Jeff Ferrell.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: SS Alcides Escobar (elbow contusion) sat out a second straight game after hurting himself Friday night.
Tigers: All-Star SS Jose Iglesias (broken right middle finger) remained out of the lineup. He hasn't played since Sept. 3.
UP NEXT
Royals: Return home to face Seattle on Tuesday night. Jeremy Guthrie (8-7) starts for Kansas City against Hisashi Iawkuma (8-4).
Tigers: Host the Chicago White Sox in a doubleheader Monday. Detroit's Kyle Ryan (2-3) faces Jeff Samardzija (9-13) in the opener, and Randy Wolf (0-3) starts for the Tigers against Erik Johnson (2-0) in the second game.
