The Detroit Tigers completed a three-game sweep with a humiliating 18-2 pounding of the Chicago White Sox on Sunday to maintain their 6.5-game lead in the American League Central division.

Marching toward their first division title since 1987, the Tigers compiled 24 hits as they stormed to an 18-0 lead before Chicago salvaged two runs in the ninth to avoid the shutout.

Detroit (78-62), who hauled in an 8-1 deficit to defeat the White Sox with a walk-off home run in the ninth inning on Saturday, needed no such theatrics to bury their division foes as they scored three runs in the third, five in the fourth and seven in the sixth to run away with the contest.

Cabrera smashed a home run and four RBIs, Andy Dirks came off the bench to record four RBIs and Detroit starter Max Scherzer (14-8) tossed seven scoreless innings for the win.

Chicago's Mark Buehrle was roughed up for 10 hits and eight runs in less than four innings before watching his bullpen fail to stem the offensive tide.

Major league baseball