Danks, Dye pace White Sox win over Rays

[April 17, 2009]  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- John Danks pitched six strong innings and Jermaine Dye hit a two-run homer Thursday night to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Danks (1-0) limited the AL champions to two hits and had a shutout until Carlos Pena homered with one out in the sixth. Dioner Navarro had the other hit off the left-hander, a two-out single in the second inning.

Dye homered off Jeff Niemann (0-2) in the second. The White Sox wasted several opportunities to break the game open against the right-hander, including the sixth, when they loaded the bases with one out and failed to score.

Chicago went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and only one of the hits -- Josh Field's infield single in the ninth -- produced a run for a 3-1 lead.

The Rays, who have lost three straight, struggled in key situations, too. They were 0-for-8 against Danks and relievers Octavio Dotel and Matt Thornton, who escaped jams in the seventh and eighth with the tying run on second base.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases in the ninth against closer Bobby Jenks on a single, an error and a walk. Carl Crawford grounded into a force play, driving in a run before Jenks got his third save when Gabe Gross grounded to first.

Danks walked four and struck out eight and improved to 4-1 lifetime against the Rays, with all four of the victories coming at Tropicana Field. Pena's homer, the slugger's fourth in five days, is the only run Danks has allowed in 12 innings this season.

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was ejected during the sixth inning for arguing an umpire's decision.

Maddon contended that Dye hit a grounder fair to third base rather than fouled the ball off his foot.

The player hopped and limped out of the batter's box as if the ball hit his foot before rolling up the third base line, where Willy Aybar fielded it and threw to first for the apparent out.

Dye complained, asking plate umpire Brian Gorman to look at his left shoe. The umpire crew huddled briefly, then inspected the ball and ruled it a foul.

Television replays appeared to confirm it was the right call.

Niemann struggled in his first start of the season last week, allowing five first-inning runs, including Melvin Mora's grand slam, in a 6-0 loss at Baltimore.

He got off to a better start Thursday night, fanning two in a one-two-three first. But he walked Jim Thome leading off the second and then gave up the 301st home run of Dye's career. A.J. Pierzynski and Alexei Ramirez singled with one out, then advanced on a wild pitch before the Sox stranded them scoring position.

Niemann also worked out of tight spots in the fourth and fifth innings to keep Tampa Bay in the game.

Notes: White Sox 2B Chris Getz was back in the lineup after missing three games with a bruised right triceps. ... Rays 3B Evan Longoria missed his second straight game because of a death in the family. He's expected to rejoin the team on Friday. ... Injured Rays RHP Jason Isringhausen is scheduled to pitch two innings in extended spring training Saturday, then head to Double-A Montgomery on Monday. The plan is for him to pitch a couple of times there, then head to Triple-A Durham. ... Dye's homer was his 140th since joining the White Sox in 2005 and moved him into a tie with Ron Kittle for ninth on Chicago's career list. ... Pena has four homers and nine RBIs in his last five games. ... Attendance was 13,803. The Rays drew 99,117 for a three-game series against the Yankees that ended Wednesday.

[Associated Press; By FRED GOODALL]

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