Ivan Rodriguez makes it seem easy.

Rodriguez had a single, three doubles and four RBIs Thursday, helping the Detroit Tigers stop a five-game losing skid with a 12-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

“I just concentrate to put the ball in play and hit the ball hard, try to make good contact,” said Rodriguez, who raised his league-leading average to .373.

Rodriguez was 4-for-5 with his fourth four-hit game of the season. He is hitting .478 in his last 23 games with 10 doubles, three homers and 21 RBIs.

“When you watch his approach to hitting, you can see why he’s going to go to the Hall of Fame,” Detroit manager Alan Trammell said. “It’s not normal. He doesn’t miss pitches like many hitters do. He centers balls as well as anybody I’ve seen.”

Nate Robertson (6-3) combined with two relievers on a four-hitter, and Brandon Inge and Bobby Higginson each had three hits for Detroit, which finished with 17 hits, including seven doubles.

Carlos Pena hit a two-run double in a six-run second inning against Chris George (1-1) and singled in the third, giving him hits in eight consecutive at-bats in day games at Kansas City. He grounded out in the fourth.

On May 27, Pena was 6-for-6 with six RBIs in Detroit’s 17-7 win at the Royals.

George allowed nine runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings.

“I made bad pitches and they hit them,” George said. “I made good pitches and they hit them, too. But there were more bad than good.”

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Four of the runs were unearned because of third baseman Joe Randa’s fielding error in the second.

“It kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you play a game like this one today,” said Randa, who led major-league third basemen last year with a .980 fielding percentage.

“It’s part of the game. We’re out there trying our best and we’re not going to be perfect,” Randa said.

“You hope your teammates pick you up.”

Robertson won his fourth straight decision, allowing three runs, four hits and four walks in six innings. He gave up a solo home run to Carlos Beltran in the first inning and did not allow another hit until Mike Sweeney homered leading off the fourth to make it 9-2. Beltran, who was traded to Houston later Thursday, likely played his last game as a Royal.

Danny Patterson and Al Levine combined for hitless relief.

• Notes: The Royals haven’t swept a three-game series since beating Texas last Aug. 26-28.