Brandon Moss is getting hot as the Kansas City weather.
Moss drove in four runs, Mike Moustakas had three RBI and the Kansas City Royals routed the error-prone Detroit Tigers 16-4 on Thursday night.
It was Moss’ second straight game with multiple RBI after logging just two in his previous 29 games.
Eric Hosmer and Whit Merrifield homered for the Royals, who moved within 1 1/2 games of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.
The 16 runs and 19 hits were season highs for Kansas City. For the first time in franchise history, the Royals scored four runs in four different innings.
Detroit committed three errors in the Royals’ four-run first, when only one run was earned. It was the most errors the Tigers have made in an inning since May 1, 2010.
Michael Fulmer, the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year, threw 37 pitches in the first. The heat index was 107 when the game started.
Fulmer (10-7), who had won his previous four starts, was removed after facing 18 batters. He retired only eight, and eight scored. It was the shortest outing of his career.
Hosmer hit his 14th homer in the four-run third, a prodigious 444-foot shot. Merrifield homered in a four-run sixth off Chad Bell.
Moss, who had three hits and two RBI in Wednesday’s victory, drilled a two-out, two-run double to right-center in the third. Alex Gordon doubled home Moss to chase Fulmer.
Duffy (6-6) was staked to an 8-0 lead, but struggled to make it into the sixth. Ian Kinsler had a two-run double for Detroit in a three-run fifth.
Duffy faced three batters in the sixth and gave up three hits and a run, on Miguel Cabrera’s single. With Victor Martinez coming to the plate and two runners on in an 8-4 game, Mike Minor replaced Duffy and retired all three batters he faced.
The Royals expanded their lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Hosmer and Salvador Perez each hit an RBI single, and Moustakas had a sacrifice fly.
The Royals sent 10 batters to the plate in a four-run eighth, highlighted by Moss’ two-run single.
Duffy gave up nine hits, walked none and struck out four.
