Justin Verlander, Tigers whip John Danks, White Sox
In an expected duel at Comerica Park on Friday night, only one pitcher stepped up.
Tigers starter Justin Verlander continued his impressive march to the Cy Young Award, shutting down the White Sox in an 8-1 win.
Sox starter John Danks, on the other hand, looked more like the pitcher that was 0-8 with a 5.25 ERA in his first 11 outings of the season than the one that was 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA in his last 11.
The left-hander lasted just 4⅔ innings and allowed 8 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks.
After Austin Jackson led off the game with a single for Detroit and moved to second on Magglio Ordonez's groundout, Delmon Young hit a deep drive to center field.
Starting in place of Alex Rios for the White Sox in center, Alejandro De Aza got a bad break on the ball and failed to make the catch.
Young was credited with an RBI triple as the Tigers scored 3 runs in the first inning to begin the blowout.
“Danks wasn't around the plate, and he was facing a pretty good hitting club that is swinging the bats well,” Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters.
En route to winning his 21st game of the season, Verlander pitched 7⅓ innings and allowed 1 run on 7 hits. Tyler Flowers ended the shutout with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
It was a costly loss. Not only did the White Sox fall 6½ games behind the first-place Tigers, they dropped out of a second-place tie with the Indians.
“We're running out of games,” Danks told reporters. “We have to at least win out against the Tigers and we're still going to need some help.”
Verlander's turn is expected to come up again when Detroit plays a three-game series against the Sox at U.S. Cellular Field beginning Sept. 12.
Considering the right-hander is 19-2 since May 1, the future is not looking too bright for the South Siders.
“They definitely had everything going tonight,” left fielder Juan Pierre told reporters. “They had their big guy on the mound and you just have to shake this one off and get the one tomorrow and have amnesia about this one.”
The White Sox did get some reinforcements before the game.
A.J. Pierzynski was activated off the 15-day disabled list, and he went 1-for-4 while batting fourth and serving as the designated hitter.
The Sox also called up relief pitchers Addison Reed and Shane Lindsay and infielder Eduardo Escobar from Class AAA Charlotte. Rosters were allowed to expand from the standard 25 players Thursday.
Lindsay, the first Australian born pitcher in White Sox history, threw 1 scoreless inning.
Escobar replaced Alexei Ramirez at shortstop in the seventh inning and picked up his first major-league hit, an infield single, in the eighth.
“We have to come back here tomorrow and fight,” Guillen said. “The next two games are very big for us, huge. If we are going to make it a little easier, the next two games will be very crucial.”
sgregor@dailyherald.com