sprain) will miss the All-Star game. He was

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Torii Hunter insisted the first-place Tigers werent trying to send a message to the second-place Royals as the AL Central rivals began a four-game series leading into the All-Star break. They did it anyway. Everybody who stepped to the plate for Detroit had at least one hit and scored one run, and a season-best offensive onslaught spurred the Tigers to a 16-4 rout of Kansas City on Thursday night. "Its not a big series. Its just another series. It was no statement," said Hunter, who led off the fifth with a homer, added another hit later in the inning and finished with three RBIs. "Its a good win because its in the division, but we werent trying to send a statement." Nevertheless, the Tigers extended their lead to 5 1/2 games over the Royals by capturing their third straight victory and fourth in a row in Kansas City -- winning those four games by a 42-12 margin. The latest offensive binge came just two days after Detroit blitzed the Dodgers 14-5. Detroit manager Brad Ausmus downplayed the outburst. "When you get as many hits and runs like we did today," Ausmus said, "youre usually finding holes." Drew Smyly (5-8) was the beneficiary, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk in 6 2-3 innings for Detroit. He had lost six of his previous eight outings. Jeremy Guthrie (5-8) gave up a career-worst eight earned runs on eight hits, three walks and two hit batters. He was mercifully pulled with no outs in the fifth, which means the Royals veteran has allowed 16 earned runs in eight-plus innings covering his last two starts. "We didnt pitch good tonight. Thats the bottom line. Thats why they scored 16 runs," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We didnt pitch good and we fell out of the game early." The Tigers stunned the Royals with three runs in the first, added three in the fourth and put up a season-best eight in the fifth. They ended up with 19 hits for the game. Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez joined Hunter in driving in three runs apiece, while Ian Kinsler, Nick Castellanos and Eugenio Suarez each drove in two. "We didnt come here thinking we have to hold them off," Castellanos said. "Were confident in where were going to be at the end of September." Billy Butler homered in the fourth for KC. Eric Hosmer hit a two-run shot in the seventh. ""Losing is never easy. Anytime, its not fun," Butler said. "Obviously that game took a long time. It felt like they were hitting the whole time." The tone of the game was set in the first inning, when four of the first five Tigers reached base. A series of singles, groundouts and sacrifice flies resulted in a 3-0 lead. "It gives you a little less pep for the game when it starts out like that," Guthrie said. Kansas City scratched out a run in the second, only for Detroit to score three more in the fourth. Cabrera delivered the big blow with a two-out, two-run double. The floodgates finally opened in the fifth, when Hunter began a parade of 12 batters to the plate with his 12th homer of the season. Castellanos also had two hits in the inning, and everybody in the lineup besides Austin Jackson and Don Kelly reached base before the carnage was over. "Its fun," Hunter said. "You get everybody involved, this is what it can look like." Guthrie was pulled after two batters, and recently signed Royals reliever Scott Downs gave up two more runs while retiring one batter. Louis Coleman, recalled from Triple-A Omaha, gave up four more runs to cap the worst pitching performance by the Royals this season. Kansas City had previously allowed 12 runs in a loss to Toronto on May 31. "Well just throw it away and move on," Yost said. "Well just let it go.": NOTES: Coleman took the roster place of LHP Jason Vargas (appendectomy), who was placed on the DL retroactive to Wednesday. ... Royals LF Alex Gordon (right wrist sprain) will miss the All-Star game. He was replaced on the AL roster by Angels SS Erick Aybar. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez (back strain) remained out of the lineup. Ausmus declined to say whether he might play in the series. ... Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez faces Kansas City LHP Danny Duffy on Friday night. T.J. Tynan Jersey . Russell Wilson against Darrelle Revis, former teammate Brandon Browner and whatever schemes Bill Belichick dreams up. Malcolm Subban Jersey . - Mark Sanchez found out the New York Jets had acquired Tim Tebow on a conference call with team management. http://www.officialgoldenknightsfanstore...ts-jersey-c-21/. “The shootout, theres nothing wrong with it, I think its an exciting part of the game but its just one small aspect,” said Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman. “Its a skill exhibition. If you can get it back closer to regular hockey and have it decided that way; that would be my preference.” “I dont think its a knock on the shootout, I think more of the managers would like to see it end in overtime,” added Washington Capitals GM George McPhee. Nick Holden Jersey . The post-season, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. Jon Merrill Jersey . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. IRVING, Texas -- Jon Kitna will earn $53,000 to serve as the Cowboys third-string quarterback for one week -- and he plans to donate that money to the Seattle-area high school where hes now a coach. Kitna told The Dallas Morning News (http://dallasne.ws/1aaJ38v ) of his plans Wednesday. Kitna retired after the 2011 season, his 15th in the league, and was coaching football at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash., this season when he heard about Tony Romos back injury. Kitna sent a text message Tuesday morning to Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, and the two would talk by phone for 30 minutes, he said. "I told Jason if he wants me or somebody to come in and call a play and bee able to pull a play off if a bad situation happened, I would be willing to do that," the 41-year-old Kitna told the newspaper.dddddddddddd Hell suit up Sunday as the backup to Kyle Orton if Romo cant play against the Philadelphia Eagles, in a game that will decide a playoff berth. Kitna appeared in three games for the Cowboys in 2011 and has started 124 games overall for Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit and Dallas. "Hes a very active guy," Garrett said Wednesday. "Hes a mentally tough guy. . And hes certainly very young at heart. So it was good to have him back, good to have him back in the meetings, and (Im) excited to see him practice today." ' ' '