The Detroit Tigers had nine players record multiple hits as they completed a three-game sweep by crushing the Chicago White Sox in their largest victory of the season, 18-2, on Sunday night.

Miguel Cabrera homered and drove in four while Alex Avila led the 24-hit attack with four for the Tigers, who set a season high for runs on Sunday and scored 35 times in the series.

Detroit maintained its 6 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central. The Tigers visit the Indians for three games starting Monday.

The White Sox, who were in second place and within five games of the Tigers earlier in the week, now sit 8 1/2 games out and in third place, one game under .500 (68-69).

Detroit was not fooled by Mark Buehrle (11-7), blasting the ace lefthander for eight runs - seven earned - in 3 1/3 innings. The Tigers knocked Buehrle out with a five-run rally in the fourth, highlighted by Cabrera’s two-run double.

A seven-run burst off rookie righthander Shane Lindsay in the sixth turned it into a rout.

Chicago did not get on the board until the ninth inning.

Max Scherzer (14-8) bounced back from a three-inning dud earlier in the week with one of his best outings, yielding five hits and striking out six in seven scoreless innings.