White Sox 2, Tigers 1
John Danks struck out 10 over six-plus innings, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 2-1 win over visiting Detroit on Wednesday afternoon. The victory moved Chicago to within 3 1/2 games of the Tigers in the American League Central division race.
Danks (4-8), who gave up six hits, made life somewhat difficult on himself by walking three and hitting a batter, but Detroit was unable to cash in until Austin Jackson led off the seventh inning with a home run. The Tigers had nine baserunners between the third and sixth innings, all but one reaching with less than two outs, and failed to plate any of them.
Recent call-up Alejandro De Aza, playing in place of struggling center fielder Alex Rios, homered in his first at-bat of the season to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Chris Sale came on for Danks after the Jackson homer and retired eight consecutive hitters before Sergio Santos finished it by getting Brennan Boesch to fly out.
Detroit starter Max Scherzer 11-6 allowed two runs on six hits in his six innings, striking out eight and walking four. Chicago loaded the bases with one out in the seventh against Phil Coke but came up empty when Juan Pierre was thrown out at home trying to score on a shallow flyout.