Danks Throws Complete Game But No Run Support
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Struggling John Danks threw a complete game, but the White Sox could not generate any offense and fell to the Texas Rangers 4-0 on Monday.
Danks (0-7) threw his first complete game this season and third of his career but gave up some big shots off the bats of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz.
The Rangers have been waiting for Hamilton, the AL MVP and Cruz to get back in the lineup, and both delivered big blasts.
Cruz and Hamilton homered to back up Alexi Ogando's five-hitter for his first career shutout.
"An exciting moment for us to be back," Cruz said.
Their long-awaited comeback in many ways overshadowed another dominating pitching performance for the Rangers, who had their second consecutive shutout and third in eight games.
Hamilton pulled an 0-1 pitch off Danks over the right-field wall in the first to put Texas ahead to stay. Hamilton, who hit .333 without a homer in 11 games before breaking a bone in his upper right arm April 12, was quickly around the bases and back in the dugout.
Cruz hit a two-run shot to left in the sixth to make it 3-0.
Ogando (5-0), who was added to the rotation at the end of spring training after Tommy Hunter's injury, struck out six and walked three while throwing 72 of his 105 pitches for strikes.
Danks also threw a complete game, his first this season and third of his career.
"I made a lousy pitch to pretty darn good hitter in the first, and I made a good pitch to Cruz that he hit out of the ballpark," Danks said. "It changes their lineup, no disrespect to their other hitters."
Danks, drafted ninth overall by Texas in 2003 and traded to Chicago three years later, struck out three and walked two while 71 of 105 pitches for strikes. The left-hander again got no run support, with the White Sox scoring only four runs for him in his five road starts this season.
"He threw the ball well, but made a couple mistakes, missed his location a couple of times. He's giving up a lot of 0-2 hits on mistakes. It's almost like he's throwing too many strikes," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "It's frustrating for him, for me, for everybody because we know the ability John has and we want to get that out of him."
For only the fourth time in Rangers Ballpark, which opened in 1994, both starting pitchers threw complete games.
It was the fifth shutout for the Rangers this season. Chicago was held without a run for the sixth time after being scoreless only five times last season.
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