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Hamilton, Cruz return for Rangers in opener with ChiSox

May 23, 2011 - 2:29 PM (Sports Network) - A 15-game winner last season, Chicago's John Danks has yet to pick up a victory in 2011.

After beginning his major league career as a reliever last season, Texas' Alexi Ogando is undefeated as a starter this year.

The two oddities square off this evening when the Rangers -- who are expected to have both Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz back in the lineup -- play host to the White Sox for the first of three straight games in Arlington.

Danks has reached double-digit victories in each of his previous three seasons, including a career-high 15 last year. However, he is 0-6 through nine starts this season with a 4.32 earned run average.

The 26-year-old southpaw had dropped five straight starts before getting a no- decision versus the Rangers on Tuesday. Though he didn't get a loss, he wasn't sharp either, yielding three runs -- two earned -- on four hits while matching a career high with six walks over 6 1/3 innings.

"They didn't hit me very much because there weren't very many pitches to hit," said Danks on Chicago's website. "I did my best to stay out of the way there after the first few innings."

The silver lining was that Chicago did edge out a 4-3 win, marking the first time it has claimed victory this season in a game that Danks has started.

A first-round pick by the Rangers in 2003, Danks is 1-3 with a 3.89 ERA in six career starts versus Texas.

The Rangers continue to look like they made a wise choice shifting Ogando from a relief role to the rotation. He went 4-1 with a 1.30 ERA in 44 games out of the bullpen last year and is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA over eight starts in 2011.

The right-hander did not factor into the decision of his last outing versus Kansas City on Wednesday despite matching his longest outing of the season with seven innings of work. The 27-year-old Ogando yielded two runs on four hits with just one walk and five strikeouts.

Ogando will be making his first career start against the White Sox, but has held them without a run over a pair of relief outings spanning two innings.

There will be some welcome sights in the lineup for Ogando and the rest of the Rangers with both Hamilton and Cruz expected to be activated from the disabled list in time to play tonight. Hamilton has been out since suffering a non- displaced hairline fracture of his right humerus in an April 12 game at Detroit on a head-first slide at home plate, while Cruz was placed on the DL May 7 due to a strained right quadriceps.

Hamilton served as the designated hitter during a three-game minor league rehab stint with Triple-A Round Rock and will serve that role with the Rangers until they feel he is ready to get back into the outfield.

"Will I get hurt again? Only the Lord knows that," Hamilton told Texas' website. "One thing I do know. He made me to play hard and to show off my ability to the fans. That's what I'm going to do ... maybe just not dive into home plate head-first anymore."

Hamilton, the 2010 American League MVP, was hitting .333 with seven RBI in 11 games before his injury, while Cruz, the team's right fielder, is batting .219 with seven homers and 18 RBI in 30 games.

Texas could use the extra pop as it has averaged just 3.8 runs per game in its last 26 contests. The Rangers plated just four runs over their three-game series with the Phillies, but avoided a sweep with Sunday's 2-0 victory.

Matt Harrison pitched 8 1/3 innings of scoreless ball before Neftali Feliz recorded the final two outs.

"You never want to get swept," said manager Ron Washington, whose club remained a half-game ahead of the Angels for first place in the AL West. "For two days we battled but were unable to put runs on the board. Now the plane ride home will be much better."

Chicago took the final two games of its interleague set with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including Sunday's 8-3 victory. Alexei Ramirez powered the offense with four hits, one a homer, and five RBI, while A.J. Pierzynski added a solo homer in helping the White Sox win for the fifth time in six games.

"Today we swung the bat very well, and our defense was outstanding." White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Chicago is expected to begin a 10-game road trip with Carlos Quentin in the lineup. The outfielder missed the last two games with a bruised left knee and is batting .259 with nine homers and 26 RBI this season.

The Rangers and White Sox split two games last week giving Chicago a victory in four of the past six meetings.