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Westbrook outduels Danks, Indians edge White Sox

Aug 8, 2007 - 4:51 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Jake Westbrook looks like he's turning it around at the right time.

Westbrook pitched eight outstanding innings to outduel rookie John Danks as the Cleveland Indians posted a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

Grady Sizemore had the key two-out, two-run single for Cleveland (64-49), which maintained a one-half game lead over the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division. Detroit defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 9-6, earlier on Tuesday to briefly draw even with the Indians.

"Both teams pitched well - Jake pitched a great game," Sizemore said. "We like the position we're in, but if we want to win this division, we have to continue to get better, and win some in a lot easier fashion in the next couple of weeks."

Westbrook (3-6), who won 15 games a season ago, entered this one with a 2-6 record and a 5.40 ERA after pitching six scoreless innings in a win against the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

"I feel confident, I feel really good about where I am," Westbrook said. "(My) sinker's been better, (my) location has been better. I'm doing a good job of mixing it up. Victory and I have been on the same page every time out, in the last couple (of games). It feels good to get back to contributing to this team."

The righthander yielded just a run and two hits with no walks and five strikeouts over 103 pitches - 65 for strikes - against the White Sox. The righthander, who went on the disabled list with an abdominal strain on May 7, missed six weeks.

After being touched for a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Paul Konerko, Westbrook was brilliant. Besides Jerry Owens' leadoff single in the first, the righthander yielded just one other base hit to Scott Podsednik in the fifth.

Westbrook retired 23 of the last 24 batters, including the last 11 in a row. He also threw first-pitch strikes to 19 of the 27 batters he faced.

"(Westbrook) has been as good as you can be, in his last three outings," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "There's a long way to go, and we're looking at ourselves right now. We need to keep working and continue to get better."

Closer Joe Borowski left runners on the corners in the ninth to record his 31st save in 34 opportunities.

"It was a tightly played game, if someone made a mistake it could have turned the other way," Borowski said. "We can look at this as we're getting a lot of experience in these games."

Danks (6-9) was nearly as effective, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. However, in the fifth, Jhonny Peralta singled to right field and two batters later, advanced to third when Jason Michaels hit his 10th double of the year down the left field line. Both runners scored on a single to left by Sizemore.

Danks allowed two runs, four hits and a walk in six innings. The 22-year-old lefthander also struck out eight.

"(Danks) was throwing great," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "If he keeps throwing the ball like that, he is going to have an incredible career."

Travis Hafner had two hits for the Indians, who have won two straight and four of five.

Chicago lost for the first time in five games.