CHICAGO (AP) - Dylan Cease allowed one hit in six scoreless innings, matching a season high with 11 strikeouts, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Tuesday night.
Tim Anderson and Andrew Vaughn homered for A.L. Central-leading Chicago, which had dropped three of four at fourth-place Kansas City last week.
"That was definitely one of my better ones," Cease said. "I still need to be a little bit more efficient. But the stuff was good, and to get through six was solid. To finish strong, it means a lot to me."
Cease (8-6) walked two and threw 103 pitches, allowing only Edward Olivares' leadoff single in the third inning, to nab his first win since June 30.
"He showed a lot of composure and competitiveness in those early innings," White Sox manager Tony La Russa. "Then, towards the end, he did the shut-it-down thing and just got better as he went along."
Michael Kopech, Garrett Crochet and Ryan Tepera pitched an inning apiece to complete the three-hitter. Kopech allowed the only Kansas City run on Ryan O'Hearn's sacrifice fly in the seventh, just the second run in three games for the Royals.
Vaughn sent a changeup from Kris Bubic (3-5) into the center field bleachers in the second, and Anderson bounced a two-run homer off the top of the right field wall in the third.
Anderson added an RBI single in Chicago's four-run seventh, his third hit of the night, and Jose Abreu had a two-run single in the frame.
Bubic went six innings, allowing three runs on three hits.
"He had everything working. It just took him a while to get to his heater," Royals manager Mike Matheny said. "He obviously had a better feel for his fastball later, but he didn't give it a chance to find it until there was already some damage done."
Chicago recalled right-hander Matt Foster from Triple-A Charlotte. He has appeared in 27 games in the majors this season, going 2-1 with a 6.04 ERA. Right-hander Jimmy Lambert was sent to Charlotte on Sunday.
Notes: Royals LF Andrew Benintendi exited in the fourth inning after he strained his left shoulder sliding into second base. Royals SS Adalberto Mondesi (left oblique strain) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday night. "He's very optimistic," Matheny said. "Trying to be smart about the workload we give him. His body will let us know how he's going to respond to that." ... Carlos Hernandez (2-1, 4.98 ERA) starts tonight for the Royals against Chicago's Lucas Giolito (8-7, 3.67).