Every Tiger got at least one hit, and eight of the starting nine had multiple hits.
The Tigers (8-12) chased Milwaukee starter Billy Champion in the fourth inning, and then roughed up reliever Tom Hausman. They capped their scoring with a four-run seventh inning off Hausman and Bill Castro.
The Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak as they enjoyed a rare offensive field day.
Willie Horton had two RBI, the first ones he's had in two weeks and over 40 at-bats.
"This was fun," Horton said. "We haven't had much fun around here so far this year."
Ben Oglivie, subbing at first base for the badly struggling Nate Colbert, had three hits, lifting his average to .435.
Ron LeFlore had three hits and a stolen base, just his second this season. And Gary Sutherland stayed hot, rapping out two more hits and keeping the league lead in hits and average with 32 and .390.
"Plop, plop, fizz fizz," Tigers manager Ralph Houk said, referring to the popular Alka-Seltzer TV commercial. "What a relief it is."
Baseball doesn't necessarily have momentum from game to game, but several Tigers spoke after the game about how they hope it means more outbursts are to come. Then again, they said the same thing after their last victory. Three games of dormant offense followed.
But for one night, at least, Houk saw the potential of his lineup.
"We don't have chopped liver," Houk said.
Veteran lefty Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game to get the win, his third (3-2). Lolich gave up 10 hits but was never in serious trouble.
Of the Tigers' 22 hits, 18 were singles. They also had three doubles and a triple.
NOTES: Catcher Bill Freehan batted fourth, in Colbert's usual spot, and had two hits, lifting his average to .227...The Tigers' team batting average shot up to .273 from .258 after tonight's explosion...The Tigers' ratio of 191 hits to 65 runs (2.9 hits per run) is the worst in the majors.
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Tigers record: 8-12 (actual 11-9)
Home: 3-8
Away: 5-4
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