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Danks takes another crack at first win as White Sox visit Angels

May 10, 2011 - 2:35 PM (Sports Network) - Perhaps an eighth time taking the mound will be the charm for Chicago White Sox winless starter John Danks, who gets the nod tonight in the middle test of a three-game road series against the LA Angels of Anaheim.

Danks is 0-5 with a decent 3.83 earned run average in his first seven starts of the season and is mired in a personal four-start losing streak. He pitched well enough for the win in last Wednesday's 3-2 loss versus Minnesota, but a lack of run support sent the lefty to the showers still winless in 2011.

The former first-round draft pick allowed all three runs on eight hits with three walks and no strikeouts over a season high-tying eight innings. Danks has lasted at least six innings in each of his outings and will make his 10th career start against Anaheim. He is 3-3 with a 2.56 ERA over the first nine.

Chicago got seven shutout innings from Edwin Jackson in Monday's 8-0 rout of the Halos in the series opener. Jackson had a 4-0 lead by the fifth inning, scattered five hits, struck out five and issued one walk, while Chris Sale and Will Ohman each threw a scoreless inning of relief to preserve the shutout.

"It's a great feeling to have early run support," said Jackson. "I was throwing pitches for strikes, I was aggressive and I was hitting my marks."

Carlos Quentin finished 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and five RBI, Gordon Beckham clubbed a two-run shot and Alexei Ramirez added a solo homer for the White Sox, who have won three straight after a three-game slide and improved to 3-1 on a nine-game road trip.

The Angels lost for the fourth time in nine tries on Monday, as starting pitcher Ervin Santana was banged around for five runs and eight hits in six innings to fall to 1-4 on the season. Trevor Bell surrendered a three-run homer to Quentin in a four-run seventh inning.

"I just didn't have the pitch to finish them off tonight and they came hacking," Santana told the team's official site. "That is what happens when you make mistakes."

Bobby Wilson posted the lone extra-base hit for the AL West-leading Halos with a double, while Torii Hunter was one of three players to finish 0-for-3. Mark Trumbo and Alexi Amarista were the others to go hitless in three at-bats. In other team news, outfielder Vernon Wells landed on the disabled list with a right groin strain.

Anaheim, which is one game ahead of Oakland in the division standings, has alternated wins and losses on this six-game homestand which will conclude on Wednesday. Taking the mound for the hosts tonight will be Joel Pineiro, who will make his third start of the season after opening the year on the disabled list because of a balky shoulder.

In his second game back from the DL, Pineiro pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed three hits in an 11-0 drubbing at Boston last Thursday. Pineiro tossed seven innings of one-run ball for a no-decision at Tampa Bay in his season debut on April 30.

Pineiro, a right-hander, is 1-0 with a 0.71 earned run average this season and will face the White Sox for the 18th time in his career. He is 2-5 with a 4.86 ERA in 17 games (9 starts) against the White Sox. Those numbers should improve tonight since he's 6-0 in his previous 10 outings at Angel Stadium.

Anaheim swept a three-game set in Chicago from April 15-17 this season after the White Sox recorded seven straight wins to wrap up the 2010 series. The Pale Hose prevailed in all three meetings at the Big A from Sept. 24-26.