Tigers 16, Royals 2: Omar Infante went 5-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs as visiting Detroit steamrolled Kansas City in the opener of the three-game series.

Anibal Sanchez (13-7) rode the offensive onslaught to his sixth consecutive victory, allowing one run on seven hits in as many innings as the first-place Tigers maintained their 6 1/2-game lead over Cleveland in the American League Central. Sanchez struck out five and walked one to match his career high in wins.

Austin Jackson had three hits and four RBIs and Andy Dirks went 5-for-5 with four runs scored to spark a 26-hit attack for Detroit, which had scored only eight runs in losing three of its previous four games. Prince Fielder and Alex Avila each had three hits and Miguel Cabrera notched his major league-best 131st RBI.

James Shields (10-9) had his four-game winning streak come to a crashing halt over 3 2/3 disastrous innings. He was battered for 10 runs on 14 hits - tying career worsts in both categories - to fall to 6-3 lifetime against Detroit. The Royals fell nine games behind Detroit in the division but remained 4 1/2 back of Tampa Bay for the second wild card.

Infante, who also set a career high for hits, had RBI singles in the second, fourth and seventh innings and a three-run double in the fifth. Jackson hit a two-run double in a five-run second inning and a two-RBI single in a five-run fourth as the Tigers bolted to a 10-1 lead.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Shields gave up 14 hits on one other occasion - against Detroit on June 28, 2012 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. It also marked the fourth time he's allowed 10 runs. ... Jackson had his fourth multi-hit performance during his current seven-game hitting streak, while Infante became the seventh Detroit player since 1916 with five hits and six RBIs in one game. ... Royals DH Billy Butler drove in a run for the fourth straight game, giving him 553 career RBIs and moving him past John Mayberry for sixth place on the franchise list.