Kansas City, Mo. ? The best game of Brian Anderson’s career pushed Chicago farther from contention in the AL Central.

Anderson pitched a two-hitter to win for the first time since April 20, and John Buck had three hits, including a three-run homer that capped a seven-run first inning Wednesday night, as Kansas City won, 11-0.

“This is the type of game that you don’t get many of in your career,” Anderson said. “I’m not a power guy who’s going to go out and do something like this all the time.”

Aaron Rowand was the only batter to reach against Anderson, doubling leading off the game, walking in the third, then doubling again in the ninth. Anderson retired eight batters in a row before Rowand’s walk and 17 before the ninth-inning hit.

“We just didn’t hit today,” Rowand said. “We need to pull together as a team, come out strong tomorrow and try to take this series.”

Anderson (2-9), who struck out seven and walked one, had been 0-9 in 11 starts and nine relief appearances since beating Cleveland on April 20.

“After the way this season’s gone, with the struggles I’ve had, it’s nice to see the hard work come to fruition,” Anderson said. “I don’t want to make too big of a deal out of it. I’m certainly going to enjoy tonight and I’ll probably sleep better than I have in four months. But I understand that in a few days, I’ll have to do it again.”

Anderson got his fourth career shutout, his first since a seven-hitter at Anaheim last Sept. 5 and only his second since Aug. 17, 1999, when he pitched the third three-hitter of his career. It was just his 11th complete game in 229 career starts. He was glad manager Tony Pena let him finish.

“Tony and I had a pretty strong disagreement in the dugout after the seventh,” Anderson said. “Thank goodness Tony said, ‘If you want to go back out, go back out.”‘

Chicago lost for the eighth time in 10 games, dropping a season-high six games behind division-leading Minnesota and falling to 54-50. On July 24, the White Sox led the Twins by a half-game.

Kansas City's John Buck (2) is congratulated by teammates, from left, Angel Berroa, Desi Relaford and David DeJesus, after his three-run home run off of Chicago pitcher Scott Schoeneweis in the first inning. The Royals scored seven runs in the first inning and went on to win, 11-0, Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

“The Twins are playing pretty good baseball,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “Hopefully, we can get a break here and there. I don’t think they’re going to win 60 games in a row. I just have to worry about us winning games. No matter what they do, if we’re not winning, it doesn’t mean a thing.”

Scott Schoeneweis (6-9) lasted just 1 1-3 innings, his shortest outing this season, giving up a season-high nine runs and nine hits. His ERA rose from 4.89 to 5.56.

“He has one more start to show himself, against Cleveland,” Guillen said. “Then we’ll make a decision on whether he stays in the rotation.”

Schoeneweis didn’t disagree.

“A game like that doesn’t help my cause,” he said. “Hopefully, I can turn it around. I’m doing everything I can, but things aren’t working out. I don’t have anybody to blame except myself.”

Buck went 3-for-4 and is 7-for-15 with two homers and six RBIs in his last four games, and Desi Relaford also had three hits for the Royals, who finished with 17. The bottom third of the Royals’ lineup went 8-for-11 with three runs scored and five RBIs.

“I’ve been feeling better lately,” said Buck, who raised his average to .202.

Kansas City built its first-inning lead on Matt Stairs’ RBI single, Ruben Mateo’s two-run triple just beyond the reach of right fielder Joe Borchard, Angel Berroa’s RBI single and Buck’s third homer of the season.

6Sports video: Royals pound White Sox, 11-0

Ken Harvey doubled in a run in the second and scored on a single by Abraham Nunez, the ninth hit by the ninth different Royal. That finished off Schoeneweis.

Kansas City added two runs in the seventh against Mike Jackson on Nunez’s RBI double and Relaford’s run-scoring single.

Notes: The Royals’ seven runs and seven hits in the first inning were both season highs. … The previous time the Royals scored seven runs in the first was on Aug. 22, 2001, against the White Sox, when they took a 7-2 lead and lost 13-12.