DETROIT -- It was the best power day any Kansas City Royal has ever had -- and Kendrys Morales had it.

Morales hit three solo home runs plus a triple Sunday for a club record 15 total bases in Kansas City's 10-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

The victory trimmed Kansas City's magic number to clinch the American League Central Division to three. Minnesota kept pace with an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

"They had 19 hits so it wasn't just him," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said of the Morales power show, "but certainly the power, the three home runs -- and the triple might have been the most impressive of them all."

The triple was to right-center field and Morales made it to third standing up. He now has 21 home runs and 105 RBIs. Throw in his first-inning walk, and Morales had a 16-base day.

"We expected him to have a great year," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He didn't sign until the middle of last year; didn't have any spring training. We knew he still was a productive offensive player."

The Royals signed Morales to a two-year deal with a mutual third-year option. He gets $6.5 million this season, $9 million in 2016 and $11 million for 2017 if both parties agree (and a $1.5 million buyout if they don't).

"We figured with a full spring training and as many at-bats as we could give him, he'd be great," Yost said.

"He's a switch-hitter and he's a run producer," Ausmus said. "He drives in runs. Pretty simply, got the ability to hit the ball 400 feet. He's good with men in scoring position."

Left fielder Paulo Orlando added a two-run shot while shortstop Christian Colon had his his first four-hit game as the Royals drummed right-hander Alfredo Simon (13-10) for 13 hits in 4 1/3 innings as they edged the Tigers in the season series, 10-9.

Designated hitter Morales hit his 19th home run leading off the three-run third, belted his 20th with nobody on and two out in the fifth and clubbed his 21st to open the eighth. His first career three-home run game was the Royals' first since Danny Tartabull on July 6, 1991.

Right-hander Kris Medlen (5-1), making his sixth start of the season, went the first five innings, allowing three unearned runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Left-hander Danny Duffy made his first relief appearance after 24 starts this year and earned his first career save for pitching the final four innings.

"That's as good as I've seen Danny throw in a long time," Yost said. "It was encouraging to see. He gives us another power arm we can add to a bullpen of power arms."

Morales walked following a sacrifice fly by first baseman Eric Hosmer in the first and scored on singles by third baseman Mike Moustakas and right fielder Alex Rios.

Rios singled ahead of Orlando's seventh home run in the third, which put Kansas City up, 5-0.

Detroit picked up its three runs in the third on RBI singles by designated hitter Miguel Cabrera, first baseman Victor Martinez and third baseman Nick Castellanos. A fielding error made all three runs unearned.

Colon had an RBI double and Ben Zobrist an RBI single in the fifth to expand the Royals' lead to 8-3. Right-hander Jose Valdez wild-pitched Morales home after his leadoff triple in the sixth.

NOTES: C James McCann finished Sunday 1 1/3 innings shy of the most innings caught by a Detroit rookie receiver (880 innings by Frank House in 1954). ... RHP Jeremy Guthrie returns to the Kansas City rotation Monday against Seattle, his first start since Aug. 19. He worked eight times in relief between starts. ... "It's looking bleaker" that Detroit SS Jose Iglesias will be able to return this season, according to manager Brad Ausmus. Iglesias has a chip fracture of the right middle finger. ... Royals 2B Omar Infante will have an MRI Monday on his left oblique muscle but it may be touch-and-go whether he can return before the playoffs start. "It's gonna be a while," manager Ned Yost said.