|
 Third baseman Leury Garcia and left fielder Adam Dunn each hit
solo home runs, leading the White Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Los
Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Left-hander John Danks did not allow a run for the first seven
innings, helping the White Sox earn their 10th victory in 16 games.
Chicago moved within three games of the first-place Detroit Tigers
in the American League Central Division.
Before this 16-game stretch, the White Sox had a 21-24 record and
were nine games out of first place.
"I've been saying it all along: We don't quit and we're never out of
a ballgame," Danks said. "As a pitching staff, we feel if we can
keep ourselves in the game, we've got a really good chance to win."
The White Sox have succeeded despite coming into Wednesday night's
game batting .209 in the previous nine games.
 "You're just seeing guys grind," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said.
"Different guys come through every day. It takes a whole roster to
win games, and you're seeing guys do it."
Danks (4-5) permitted just two hits, three walks and one run in 7
1/3 innings. He struck out six and hit two batters. Dodgers second
baseman Dee Gordon had both of the hits against Danks: a bunt single
in the bottom of the first inning and a double in the bottom of the
eighth.
"I wasn't as sharp as I'd like," Danks said. "I guess you could call
it effectively wild."
Ventura called it Danks' ability to "use their aggressiveness
against them. He's been able to do that in his last few starts, and
I think his confidence is building."
Gordon's double, followed by a walk to right fielder Yasiel Puig,
enabled Los Angeles to put the potential tying runs on base with one
out. Gordon stole third base during Puig's at-bat and scored when
shortstop Hanley Ramirez hit into a fielder's choice.
Left-handed reliever Scott Downs induced first baseman Adrian
Gonzalez to ground out to end the eighth. Right-hander Ronald
Belisario, a former Dodger, pitched a perfect ninth inning, with one
strikeout, for his fifth save.
"We're not getting it done; it's as simple as that," said Dodgers
manager Don Mattingly, whose team has lost six of eight games. "We
need a win."
The White Sox used power to take a 2-0 lead.
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Garcia hit his first major league home run, a solo drive over the
center-field fence, in the top of the third inning. Dunn added a
solo homer in the fourth by depositing an 89 mph fastball from
right-hander Josh Beckett into the right-field stands. The home run
was the 449th of Dunn's career.
Los Angeles put the potential tying runs on base in the bottom of
the fourth when Gonzalez reached base on an error and center fielder
Scott Van Slyke followed with a one-out walk. However, a video
review denied the Dodgers any further opportunity.
Third baseman Justin Turner hit a ground ball that resulted in Van
Slyke being caught in a rundown. After Chicago shortstop Alexei
Ramirez tagged Van Slyke for the second out, Ramirez threw to Garcia
to try to get Gonzalez, whom third base umpire Gary Cederstrom ruled
safe.
Ventura asked for a video review, which overturned Cederstrom's
call.
Beckett (3-3) allowed nine hits, two runs and two walks while
striking out six in six innings.
NOTES: Chicago RF Alejandro De Aza returned to the lineup after a
two-day rest. De Aza entered the game in a 5-for-51 slump. ...
Former Dodgers INF Don Zimmer died Wednesday at 83. Zimmer played
for the team from 1954 to 1958 and in 1963. He also played with the
Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Senators
before beginning his coaching and managing career. ... Over his past
36 games, Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig is batting .384 (53-for-138) with
13 doubles, nine home runs, a triple and 30 RBIs. ... Dodgers 2B Dee
Gordon had his streak of 15 consecutive steals broken when he was
thrown out trying to steal second base in the first inning. ... Los
Angeles RHP Josh Beckett topped the 2,000-inning mark by going six
innings Wednesday. Dodgers RHP Jamey Wright needs three innings for
2,000. Wright could join Beckett and RHP Dan Haren to make the
Dodgers the only team with three active pitchers with 2,000-plus
innings.
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