KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When the Kansas City Royals acquired Johnny Cueto in a July 26 trade with the Cincinnati Reds, the intention was to acquire a No. 1 starter.

Maybe the Royals had the ace on their staff the entire time.

Yordano "Ace" Ventura won his fourth consecutive decision, and Cheslor Cuthbert hit his first big league home run and drove in four runs as the Royals crushed the Detroit Tigers 12-1 Wednesday night.

Ventura (10-7) struck out 11, matching his career high set in his previous start, and allowed one run and five hits over seven innings. Ventura is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his past five starts, allowing four runs on 21 hits while striking out 44 in 32 innings.

"We feel like when he's on, he's our best guy," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "He obviously proved himself last year. He's worked out of whatever little funk or whatever he did in the beginning of the year. It's the perfect time to see him looking like his normal self."

Pitching coach Dave Eiland said, "Now he's got his swagger back."

The Royals backed Ventura with four home runs. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales hit a three-run homer, hiking his RBI total to 94. Center fielder Lorenzo Cain and second baseman Ben Zobrist each hit solo home runs, and Cuthbert had a two-run shot.

Cain also doubled and drove in three runs before leaving after the fourth with tightness in his left calf. Rookie outfielder Paulo Orlando stroked two doubles and a triple.

Ventura's biggest concern was sitting through long innings as the Royals scored in each of the first five innings and built a 12-0 lead.

"Definitely good to have," Ventura said of the offensive splurge. "But when things take that long, it can be challenging. I was able to overcome that."

The Tigers avoided a shutout when center fielder Anthony Gose led off the sixth with a triple and scored on second baseman Ian Kinsler's groundout.

The Tigers lost for the 10th time in 12 games. They are in last place in the American League Central after winning the four previous division titles. Kansas City leads the division by 12 games over the second-place Minnesota Twins.

Randy Wolf, a 39-year-old left-hander who was making his third start since the Tigers acquired him Aug. 20 from the Toronto Blue Jays, lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He was roughed up for eight runs on eight hits, including two home runs, three walks and a hit batter.

In the first inning, Zobrist deposited an 0-1 Wolf curveball into the Royals' bullpen for his fifth home run in 31 games with Kansas City.

The second inning began with Morales singling. Right fielder Jonny Gomes, who was making his Royals debut, laced Wolf's first offering over the head of Gose for a double, sending Morales to third. That should not have been a surprise since Gomes is 13-for-24 (.542) in his career against Wolf.

When Wolf hit catcher Salvador Perez with a pitch to load the bases with no outs, plate umpire Quinn Wolcott issued a warning to both benches. Ventura hit Kinsler with a pitch in the first inning.

"I had my doubts about it," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of the pitch that struck Kinsler in the back.

Ventura was suspended earlier in the season after hitting batters.

"That certainly plays into my thinking, but I don't know for sure," Ausmus said.

Cuthbert's single to right scored Morales and Gomes, making it 3-0.

Cain belted his 13th home run in the third.

The Royals exploded for five runs in the fourth, which included a two-run Cain double. After Wolf walked first baseman Eric Hosmer, reliever Guido Knudson took over. Knudson promptly surrendered a three-run homer to Morales on his second pitch, making it 9-0.

Cuthbert hit a two-run homer, his first in the majors, off Knudson in a three-run fifth. Orlando tripled and scored on shortstop Alcides Escobar's single for the other run, and Kansas City led 12-0.

"It was just really bad command today," Wolf said. "Against any team, let alone a team that's hot and that's really good, you just can't make those kind of mistakes. My job is go out there and locate and mix speeds. I just wasn't able to do that. I had chances to put guys away and wasn't able to do it. I was falling behind guys."

Cain left after the fourth with tightness in his left calf after fouling a pitch off his leg before his double. A club official said the move was precautionary, and the injury was not considered serious.

Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera was ejected in the fourth inning after he was called out on strikes. After a few choices words and antics with Wolcott, it was crew chief Gary Cederstrom, the third base umpire, who thumbed Cabrera.

NOTES: Tigers LHP Al Alburquerque has not pitched since Aug. 24 because of right hip and upper leg soreness. He had a MRI on Wednesday. ... Jonny Gomes started in right field for the Royals, who acquired him in a Monday trade with the Braves. ... Royals All-Star LF Alex Gordon was held out of the lineup. He missed 48 games with a groin injury before returning Tuesday and manager Ned Yost wants to ease him back. ... The Tigers are 32-10 against AL Central opponents. Only the Royals have a better record within the division. ... Tigers rookie LHP Matt Boyd and Royals RHP Edinson Volquez are the probable starters for the series finale Thursday.