Detroit ? The Detroit Tigers probably played themselves out of the pennant race in July and early August.

In the last four days, though, they’ve looked like the team that led the AL Central before the All-Star break.

Monday, Ryan Raburn had three RBIs and scored twice as the Tigers routed the Kansas City Royals, 12-3. Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Inge also drove in three runs for Detroit, which is 4-0 since returning home and have outscored its opponents, 31-6.

Detroit scored 12 times without a triple or a home run.

“Normally, when you get that many, you are going to have a two-run homer or a three-run homer or something in the mix,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “Tonight, it was just good at-bats and a lot of base hits. Everyone took a good approach throughout the lineup, and that’s good to see.”

Four of Detroit’s runs came immediately after the three intentional walks ordered by Royals manager Ned Yost in the fifth and sixth innings.

With the Tigers leading 3-2 in the fifth and a runner on third, Yost intentionally walked Miguel Cabrera, only to see Raburn hit a RBI double. Peralta was then put on, loading the bases, but Inge followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-2.

Johnny Damon’s RBI single made it a four-run game in the next inning, and Yost immediately walked Cabrera again, loading the bases. This time, Raburn hit a two-run single to set off a seven-run inning that gave Detroit a 12-2 lead.

“Give Ryan Raburn credit, because he did exactly what he is supposed to do in those situations,” Yost said. “If you look across the major leagues, there are only about two hitters in Cabrera’s class, and I’m not going to let him beat us, but Raburn picked up the slack.”