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Danks dominates Royals in Chicago's 5-0 win

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:31 AM By DOUG TUCKER AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) -- If Zack Greinke never sees Scott Podsednik or A.J. Pierzynski again, it'll be too soon.

"Podsednik and Pierzynski, I just can't get those two out," Greinke lamented Friday night after the two Chicago sluggers had three hits apiece in a 5-0 victory over the offensively challenged Kansas City Royals.

Podsednik is hitting .533 and Pierzynski .432 against Greinke, whose ERA of 2.00 is the best in the majors.

"They hit everything. It happens every time," Greinke said.

John Danks (7-6) threw 7 1-3 shutout innings and got a big lift from reliever Scott Linebrink as the streaking White Sox won their seventh in a row and improved to 15-4 for their last 19 road games.

Greinke (10-4) gave up four runs - two earned - on nine hits in six innings. He walked only one and struck out six. But the nine hits tied for the most he's allowed all year and made him 2-1 in three decisions against Chicago.

"He's still a good pitcher; he still knows what he's doing. He's still throwing 96, 97 miles per hour," said Pierzynski. "We just try to battle and get good pitches and don't miss them."

The key to solving Greinke may be holding back on inviting pitches that only flirt with the strike zone.

"He's so good at throwing balls just out of the strike zone. That's when it comes down to making good decisions," Pierzynski said.

Chicago has won five straight over the Royals, who have lost seven of nine and scored just three runs in their last four games. The victory put the White Sox a season-best four games over .500.

"I think we're playing really well right now," said Danks. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. There's still a lot of baseball to be played. But over this past week we've played up to our capabilities. We've been saying all along we're better than what we've been playing like."

Linebrink came out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and got Alberto Callaspo to ground into a double play. He earned his second save.

The sellout crowd was already mad at Callaspo. For the second time in three days, he let a two-out routine grounder scoot under his glove that resulted in unearned runs. Jim Thome hit what should have been an easy out right at the second baseman, who has 10 errors, but the ball rolled into center field as Podsednik scored from second.

Paul Konerko followed with an RBI double that put the White Sox up 3-0.

Tigers 11, Twins 9, 16 innings=

At Minneapolis, Placido Polanco hit two extra-inning RBI singles, the second giving Detroit the lead for good.

Polanco drove in a run in the top of the 14th off R.A. Dickey (1-1), but Michael Cuddyer's RBI single in the bottom half tied it at 8.

With runners on second and third in the 16th, Polanco lined a single through the left side of a drawn-in infield, scoring Ramon Santiago with the go-ahead run.

Freddy Dolsi (1-0) gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, but held on for his second career win.

Orioles 6, Angels 4=

At Anaheim, Calif., Aubrey Huff hit a three-run homer and Luke Scott doubled home two runs for Baltimore.

David Hernandez (2-2) allowed three runs and six hits over 6 2-3 innings after being staked to a 6-0 lead. The right-hander was making his fourth big league start.

George Sherrill got three outs for his 18th save.

Ervin Santana (1-4) went five innings, allowing six runs - four earned - eight hits and three walks in his first start off the disabled list.

Mariners 7, Red Sox 6, 11 innings=

At Boston, Rob Johnson doubled home two runs in the 11th inning for Seattle.

George Kottaras hit his first major league homer in the bottom of the 11th for the Red Sox, who tied the game at 5 with two runs in the eighth inning.

Tim Wakefield made his 383rd start for the Red Sox, surpassing Roger Clemens for the top spot on the team's all-time list.

Rangers 3, Rays 1=

At Arlington, Texas, Tommy Hunter earned his first career victory on his 23rd birthday and Hank Blalock homered for Texas, which won its third straight.

Hunter (1-1) was making his sixth career start and third this season. The right-hander allowed three hits and struck out five in 5 1-3 innings.

Scott Kazmir (4-5) made his second start for Tampa Bay since coming off the disabled list June 27. The left-hander gave up three runs - one earned - and struck out six in five innings.

Yankees 4, Blue Jays 2=

At New York, A.J. Burnett (7-4) scattered six hits over seven innings and Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez homered for New York.

Burnett (7-4), who lost to his former team at Toronto on May 12, allowed two runs, struck out seven and walked two. Mariano Rivera struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 22 chances.

Indians 15, Athletics 3=

At Cleveland, Shin-Soo Choo homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs and Cleveland snapped a five-game losing streak.

Choo had an RBI single, two-run double, three-run homer and capped his night with a solo shot, his 12th. It was Choo's second career multihomer game and the most RBIs by a Cleveland player since Grady Sizemore drove in seven last Aug. 21 against Kansas City.

David Huff (4-3) gave up five doubles, but only three runs over six innings to improve to 4-1 in his last six starts.