KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Anibal Sanchez handcuffed the Kansas City Royals again, and first baseman Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer as the Detroit Tigers held on to win 6-4 Sunday.

Catcher Alex Avila drove in three runs with a pair of singles as the Tigers erupted for six runs in the first five innings after scoring only four runs in the first three games of the series.

The victory allowed the Tigers to split the four-game series at Kauffman Stadium and move back into first place, a half-game ahead of the Royals.

Sanchez (2-3) retired the first 15 batters he faced before rookie right fielder Paulo Orlando grounded a single up the middle to leadoff the sixth.

Sanchez did yield two runs in the seventh, the first time in eight career starts against the Royals he gave up more than one run.

Designated hitter Kendrys Morales walked with one out and stopped at third on first baseman Eric Hosmer's double. Catcher Erik Kratz got Morales' home with a sacrifice fly. Second baseman Omar Infante's single scored Hosmer.

The Royals did chase Sanchez in the eighth and produced two more runs, cutting the lead to two runs. Shortstop Christian Colon scored on third baseman Mike Moustakas' ground out. Left fielder Alex Gordon, who doubled off left-handed reliever Tom Gorzelanny, scored on Morales' single.

Sanchez has a 1.41 ERA in eight career starts against the Royals. Sanchez, who was 0-3 in his previous four starts, yielded three runs on four hits and a walk in 7 1/3 innings, while striking out four.

Royals right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (1-2) allowed 11 hits and six runs in six innings, inflating his ERA to 6.52.

Joakim Soria worked a spotless ninth to log his 10th save in as many opportunities.

Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias left after five innings with left groin tightness.

The Tigers clustered four singles in a three-run third. Catcher Alex Avila had the big hit, a two-run single to right-center with the bases loaded. When Orlando had difficulty picking up Avila's hit, he was charged with an error, which allowed left fielder Yoenis Cespedes to score from first base.

The Tigers made it 6-0 in the fifth when Cabrera homered with second baseman Ian Kinsler aboard. Cabrera drove a 1-1 offering from Guthrie out to left for his sixth home run.

Avila also drove in the Tigers' first run in the second inning when his single to left scored Cespedes, who had doubled.

NOTES: Royals CF Lorenzo Cain, who leads the Royals with a .402 on-base percentage entering Sunday's action, dropped the appeal of his two-game suspension for his part in the bench-clearing brawl April 23 against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Cain will be eligible to play again Wednesday. Jarrod Dyson replaced him in center on Sunday. ... RF J.D. Martinez, who entered Sunday in a 3-for-23 skid, returned to the Tigers lineup after sitting out Saturday. ... Royals LHP Jason Vargas, who was moved back a day in the rotation, will start Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians. Vargas beat the Indians in his previous start, but had to work around five walks in five innings. ... RHP Shane Greene, who has allowed 15 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings in his past two appearances, will start Tuesday at Chicago.