Chi White Sox (23-25) at Kansas City (23-26)

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cws

White Sox better, but still out to improve

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
On an 8-3 run entering the final day of May, the White Sox are happy to have turned things around, and if they stay in the hunt, GM Ken Williams won't hesitate to improve the club.
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White Sox probable pitcher

John Danks

  • #50 LHP
  • (4-3) 4.59 ERA 45 SO
There was no hiding the fact that Danks was not sharp during his start Monday night at Angel Stadium, beginning a six-game road trip covering seven days for the White Sox. But the left-hander battled through six innings to earn the victory, while benefitting from 17 runs and 24 hits of support. Danks gave up three runs to the Angels in the first inning but did not allow another run over the next five, exiting with 112 pitches and just 58 for strikes. Danks allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in five of his six innings and had a career-worst six walks, but gave up just four hits and struck out four. The left-hander completes the road trip and the month of May for the White Sox, pitching on an extra day of rest at Kauffman Stadium. Danks has no record against the Royals in one start this season and has a 1-0 lifetime mark in five starts when facing Kansas City.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 22-25 4.28 383.0 131 313 .264
Season 4-3 4.59 49.0 20 45 .261
May 2-2 6.23 26.0 12 27 .302
Vs. Kansas City 0-0 0.00 6.0 3 5 .143

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/31/2009 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 23 25 .479 4.0 12-10 11-15
Kansas City Royals (AL Central) 23 26 .469 4.5 15-14 8-12
Stats - 05/31/2009 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CWS .256 205 50 200 29 315 4.33 419.2 446 164 325
KC .252 205 41 194 27 321 4.12 433.0 442 163 344
kc

Greinke is 'doing special things this year'

Rustin Dodd / MLB.com
What can you say about Zack Greinke at this point? The numbers are just astounding, and there are many of them.
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Royals probable pitcher

Zack Greinke

  • #23 RHP
  • (8-1) 0.84 ERA 81 SO
Greinke dazzled again in his last start against Detroit. The Royals' ace had command of all four his pitches and threw his fifth complete game of the season. Greinke allowed just one run while striking out eight. The Royals right-hander still hasn't allowed a home run in 103 innings, and Greinke's only loss came on May 9, when he went eight innings and gave up one run against the Angels. Greinke, who has nine quality starts, is 2-0 against the White Sox. He threw six scoreless innings in Chicago on April 8, then backed that up with a complete game shutout on May 4. Greinke is also undefeated (6-0) at Kauffman Stadium this season.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 42-46 3.93 733.2 186 589 .267
Season 8-1 0.84 75.0 12 81 .203
May 3-1 1.15 39.0 4 37 .217
Vs. Chi White Sox 2-0 0.00 15.0 3 17 .180

White Sox hitters vs Zack Greinke

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - - - - -
Beckham, Gordon - - - - .400 5 1 1
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Gartrell, Stefan - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul .000 5 0 0 .137 51 1 5
Kotsay, Mark - - - - .200 5 0 0
Lillibridge, Brent .000 2 0 0 .000 2 0 0
Nix, Jayson .250 4 0 0 .100 10 0 0
Pierzynski, A.J. .600 5 0 0 .400 40 2 4
Quentin, Carlos .000 5 0 0 .235 17 3 4
Ramirez, Alexei .200 5 0 0 .150 20 1 2
Rios, Alex .000 3 0 0 .364 22 1 4
Teahen, Mark - - - - - 0 0 0
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

Royals hitters vs John Danks

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Josh - - - - .444 9 0 2
Aviles, Mike .000 3 0 0 .474 19 1 6
Betancourt, Yuniesky 1.000 2 1 3 .500 8 2 4
Bianchi, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Bloomquist, Willie .500 2 0 0 .250 4 0 0
Buck, John .500 2 0 0 .200 5 0 0
Butler, Billy .000 3 0 0 .250 20 0 0
Callaspo, Alberto - - - - .333 6 0 0
DeJesus, David .333 3 0 0 .400 20 0 5
Dyson, Jarrod - - - - - - - -
Fields, Josh - - - - - - - -
Getz, Chris - - - - - - - -
Gordon, Alex .000 2 0 0 .083 12 0 0
Guillen, Jose .000 2 0 0 .217 23 2 5
Hernandez, Luis - - - - .571 7 0 0
Jacobs, Mike - - - - .167 6 0 0
Ka'aihue, Kila - - - - .500 4 0 0
Lisson, Mario - - - - - - - -
Maier, Mitch - - - - .250 16 0 1
Parraz, Jordan - - - - - - - -
Pena, Brayan - - - - - - - -
Pina, Manuel - - - - - - - -

Chicago 'Getz' best of Greinke, KC (24-25) (23-27)

White Sox 7, Royals 4

Sox not intimidated

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
After being blanked by Zack Greinke for 15 innings in their previous two meetings, the Sox scored in the first and tagged the league's top pitcher for four runs. And with Greinke not out there in the ninth, Chicago used Chris Getz's two-run single to take the lead and complete a sweep.

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Series at a Glance

 

Rare off-day

Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
Zack Greinke allowed more than two runs in a start for the first time all season, giving up four over seven innings. Greinke struck out seven, didn't walk a batter and kept the Royals in the game before relievers John Bale and Juan Cruz couldn't hold down the White Sox in the ninth.
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White Sox 7, Royals 4

Chi White Sox AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Podsednik, LF 5 2 3 1 0 0 0 .307
Ramirez, A, SS 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 .253
Dye, RF 4 0 1 1 0 2 1 .277
Thome, DH 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .256
Konerko, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 .309
Pierzynski, C 4 2 3 0 0 0 0 .299
Wise, CF 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 .192
  a-Anderson, Br, PH-CF 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .275
Fields, 3B 3 0 1 2 1 2 1 .244
Getz, 2B 4 1 1 2 0 1 2 .248
  Nix, J, 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .205
Totals 36 7 11 7 2 9 13  

a-Walked for Wise in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Pierzynski (6, Greinke), Podsednik (4, Greinke).
3B: Podsednik (2, Greinke).
TB: Podsednik 6; Dye; Thome 2; Pierzynski 4; Fields; Getz.
RBI: Thome (29), Fields 2 (20), Dye (34), Getz 2 (10), Podsednik (8).
2-out RBI: Thome; Fields 2; Podsednik.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ramirez, A.
GIDP: Thome.
Team RISP: 5-for-10.
Team LOB: 4.

FIELDING
E: Danks (1, pickoff).
 
Kansas City AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Bloomquist, 2B 4 0 0 0 1 1 3 .284
Maier, CF 5 0 1 1 0 2 3 .280
Butler, 1B 5 0 2 0 0 1 1 .285
Jacobs, DH 4 1 1 0 1 1 4 .248
Guillen, J, RF 5 0 1 0 0 1 3 .269
Teahen, 3B 4 1 1 0 0 2 3 .285
Olivo, C 4 1 2 1 0 1 0 .239
DeJesus, D, LF 3 1 1 2 1 0 4 .236
Hernandez, Lu, SS 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 .217
Totals 37 4 10 4 3 10 22  

BATTING
2B: Butler (15, Danks), DeJesus, D (9, Danks), Maier (3, Danks), Jacobs (9, Danks).
TB: Maier 2; Butler 3; Jacobs 2; Guillen, J; Teahen; Olivo 2; DeJesus, D 2; Hernandez, Lu.
RBI: DeJesus, D 2 (20), Maier (6), Olivo (15).
2-out RBI: Maier; Olivo.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Guillen, J 2; Butler; Jacobs; Maier; DeJesus, D 2.
S: Hernandez, Lu.
Team RISP: 3-for-16.
Team LOB: 10.

FIELDING
PB: Olivo (5).
Outfield assists: Guillen, J (Fields at 3rd base).
DP: (Bloomquist-Hernandez, Lu-Butler).
 
Chi White Sox IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Danks 5.1 9 4 4 2 5 0 4.80
Dotel 1.0 1 0 0 1 3 0 1.04
Thornton (W, 2-1) 1.2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1.80
Jenks (S, 12) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.00
 
Kansas City IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Greinke 7.0 8 4 3 0 7 0 1.10
Wright, J 1.1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.51
Bale (L, 0-1) 0.0 1 2 2 1 0 0 8.10
Cruz, J 0.2 2 1 1 1 0 0 3.97

Bale pitched to 2 batters in the 9th.

WP: Thornton, Bale, Cruz, J.
Pitches-strikes: Danks 100-67, Dotel 22-13, Thornton 19-16, Jenks 11-9, Greinke 114-77, Wright, J 17-10, Bale 9-5, Cruz, J 24-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: Danks 5-6, Dotel 0-0, Thornton 3-1, Jenks 1-2, Greinke 9-5, Wright, J 2-0, Bale 0-0, Cruz, J 0-1.
Batters faced: Danks 27, Dotel 5, Thornton 6, Jenks 3, Greinke 28, Wright, J 4, Bale 2, Cruz, J 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Dotel 1-0, Thornton 2-0, Cruz, J 2-2.
Umpires: HP: Paul Nauert. 1B: Paul Schrieber. 2B: Ed Rapuano. 3B: Chad Fairchild.
Weather: 81 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 12 mph, R to L.
T: 3:13.
Att: 19,855.
May 31, 2009

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner