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Danks tries to snap out of funk in Minnesota

Jun 20, 2013 - 2:16 PM (Sports Network) - Southpaw John Danks tries to snap out of a season-beginning funk on Thursday afternoon when the Chicago White Sox visit Target Field for the last of three games with the Minnesota Twins.

A veteran of 164 big-league starts, the 28-year-old Texan got a no-decision in his season debut on May 24 and has since lost three of four starts through June 15.

In the most recent start, at Houston, he allowed four runs on five hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss.

One start earlier he was a 4-1 winner over Oakland with eight innings of one- run, three-hit ball.

Danks has allowed 12 runs and 18 hits in 18 innings while losing all three of his road starts in 2013, but he's 1-0 with a no-decision at home while giving up four runs in 14 innings.

In 21 career meetings with the Twins, he's 6-9 with a 5.00 earned run average.

For the Twins, 26-year-old lefty Scott Diamond tries to end a skid that's yielded four losses in five decisions.

He was 3-2 on the season after a 6-1 defeat of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 7, but has beaten only Seattle in his last seven starts while his ERA has swelled from 3.03 to 5.29.

He faced the White Sox in his second start of the season on April 21 in Chicago and was a 5-3 winner after allowing an earned run in six innings.

The victory lifted him to 3-4 in his career against the White Sox.

On Wednesday, Brian Dozier clubbed an early three-run home run and Justin Morneau added a two-run blast, as Minnesota took down Chicago, 7-4. Josh Willingham posted two hits, scored twice and drove in a run for the Twins, who have won the first two in the set and three of four overall.

Kevin Correia (6-4) worked 6 2/3 innings, and allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts. Glen Perkins worked a scoreless ninth, fanning two in the process, to earn his 18th save.

Adam Dunn knocked in a pair of runs and Alejandro De Aza hit a solo shot for the White Sox, who dropped their sixth contest in the last seven.

Chris Sale (5-6) lasted only five innings and was charged in the loss with eight hits and four runs.

"I didn't have good command," Sale said. "I was coming out of myself. I just kind of need to gather myself and get the flow again and regroup next time out."

Minnesota is 5-2 against Chicago this season after losing the 2012 series by a lopsided 14-4 margin.