KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While the Kansas City Royals bats exploded for season highs in runs and hits, it was the Detroit Tigers' early fielding miscues that helped make it easier.

Mike Moustakas had three hits and drove in three runs, and Brandon Moss had four RBIs as the Kansas City Royals trounced the Detroit Tigers 16-4 on Thursday night to gain a split of a four-game series.

The Royals inched within 1 1/2 games of idle American League Central front-runner Cleveland.

"It's where you want to be," Moss said. "Obviously, you'd want to be a game and a half up. From where we started the season (10-20 record on May 7) and how well we've been playing lately, I definitely feel this is attainable. We all feel that. To be in the mix of it, to have a chance at the end of the season to get there and be in the postseason is what you play for all year."

Eric Hosmer and Whit Merrifield homered for the Royals, Hosmer and Alcides Escobar each drove in a pair of runs.

Danny Duffy (6-6) picked up the victory, going five innings plus three batters. He allowed four runs and nine hits to snap his personal two-game losing streak.

"Danny did a good job the first five innings, keeping his pitch count down," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I'm thinking man he may go the whole way. But the heat finally got to him in the sixth inning. He really struggled to keep the ball down. He was very efficient with his pitches."

Michael Fulmer (10-7) lost for the first time since June 23 and had the briefest outing of his big league career. He allowed eight runs (five earned) and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings.

A four-run Kansas City sixth, which included Merrifield's eighth home run, made it 12-4 and led to both managers substituting freely.

The Royals sent 10 men to the plate in a four-run eighth, capped by Moss' two-run single.

Kansas City jumped out to an 8-0 lead after three innings.

In the first inning, the Royals took advantage of three Detroit errors to score four runs (one earned). Third baseman Nicholas Castellanos and shortstop Jose Iglesias committed throwing errors, while center fielder Mikie Mahtook was charged with a fielding error. The Tigers have not committed more than three errors in a game this season.

Moustakas and Escobar had RBIs in the first, while the other two runs came home on errors.

The errors caused Fulmer to throw 37 pitches in the inning.

"It was tough but like I said, it comes all back to me," Fulmer said. "I think that I tried to strike more guys out because I had second and third and less than two out or whatever it would be. I threw a lot of balls and just didn't really attack the zone like I usually do.

"They put some swings on balls that I thought were good pitches and I got a few soft-contact hits. Obviously, a few hard-hit balls, too, but some days are just going to be like that. There's really not much you can do."

Fulmer failed to make it through the third inning when he yielded another four runs. Hosmer hit a 444-foot blast off Fulmer for his 14th home run, a solo shot. After Perez was struck by a pitch and Escobar hit a two-out single, Moss doubled to the right-center to bring both home.

Alex Gordon's double brought Moss home and chased Fulmer.

The Tigers got to Duffy for three runs in the fifth. Iglesias' single to right scored Andrew Romine, and Ian Kinsler drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double.

"We looked good in the middle innings there," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We scored three then followed up with another run. We were back in the game, but the Merrifield home run and the three more tack-on runs that inning in the bottom of the sixth that was the final nail."

NOTES: Upon a review, the league changed Kansas City CF Lorenzo Cain's game-winning single in the ninth inning Sunday to an error on Rangers RF Shin-Soo Choo, who lost the ball in the sun. ... Detroit's Andrew Romine started in right field for the first time in his career. He finished the game at first base. ... Royals RHP Nathan Karns had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, ending his season. ... Royals C Salvador Perez stole his first base since April 8, 2015, and the third of his career. ... White Sox RHP James Shields and Royals RHP Ian Kennedy are the probables Fridayat Kauffman Stadium. ... The Tigers will start RHP Anibal Sanchez on Friday in a series opener at Minnesota. RHP Ervin Santana will pitch for the Twins.