Kansas City, MO -- (Sports Network) - Miguel Cabrera had a 5-for-6 game with six runs driven in and two scored as the Detroit Tigers destroyed the Kansas City Royals, 19-4, in the opener of a three-game set at Kauffman Stadium.

Detroit tied a season-high in runs set twice earlier in the season, on April 23 against Texas and May 24 versus Minnesota. The team also cranked out 18 hits in the win. It was the most runs Kansas City gave up this season.

Matt Joyce hit a three-run home run and finished the game 4-for-6 with five RBI and three runs scored while Carlos Guillen scored five times and added two RBI for the Tigers, who have won four of six.

"You don't ever like to kick a team when they're down, but at the same time you can't give at-bats away," said Joyce. "You just grind it out and that's what we did."

Benefiting from all the run support was Zach Miner (4-3), who got the win in his first start of the season after giving up just three hits in six innings of work.

Luke Hochevar (6-8) was tagged with the loss for giving up seven runs on eight hits in five innings of work for the Royals, who had won five of seven coming into the game. Billy Butler hit a two-run single in the loss.

The Tigers got all the runs they needed in the third inning. With men on first and second and two outs, Guillen punched a single to right that scored Edgar Renteria. Cabrera followed with a run-scoring single before Joyce stepped to the plate and roped a pitch into the left field stands for a 5-0 lead.

Kansas City had men on first and second with one out in the third, but Mike Aviles hit into a double play to kill the frame.

Detroit extended its lead to 7-0 in the fifth on Cabrera's two-run double to left that scored Curtis Granderson and Guillen.

The Tigers added to their advantage in the seventh on an RBI triple from Joyce and a bases-loaded walk from Ivan Rodriguez for a 9-0 advantage.

After allowing a two-out single to Mark Grudzielanek in the fourth, Miner stymied the Royals offense as he retired the next seven batters before stepping off the mound at the end of the sixth.

Things didn't get any better for KC in the eighth as Detroit plated 10 more runs. Granderson scored on a double from Guillen and Ramon Santiago then scored on a wild pitch. Cabrera then drilled an RBI single to right and Gary Sheffield later clubbed a three-run home run over the left field fence. A bases loaded walk by Guillen later in the inning brought home Renteria before Cabrera and Joyce followed with RBI hits to make it a 19-0 contest.

Kansas City finally got on the board in the eighth. Joey Gathright's RBI single in the scored John Buck and Gathright later scored on a wild pitch from Freddy Dolsi. With two men on base, Butler punched an opposite-field single to bring home both runners.

Game Notes:

Guillen and Sheffield each drove in three runs while Granderson finished 3- for-5 with a walk and four runs scored...Kansas City had won all six games against Detroit this season coming into the contest...Jimmy Gobble pitched the eighth inning for KC and was charged with all 10 runs on seven hits with four walks...Attendance was 14,137...It was the most runs Kansas City had given up in a game since allowing 17 against Oakland on May 10, 2007...Royals reserve infielder Tony Pena Jr. pitched a perfect ninth and he was the first Royals position player to pitch in a game since Shane Halter on July 17, 1998 at Seattle...The five hits and six RBI for Cabrera tied career-highs.