Danks pitches 2 shutout innings as Sox tie Angels

TEMPE, Ariz. - Left-hander John Danks played his first professional game with brother Jordan Danks, who started in right field, and worked 2 scoreless innings in his first spring start as the White Sox and Los Angeles Angels played to a 4-4 tie Thursday before the Cactus League opener for both teams was called after nine innings.

Jordan Danks went 0-for-2 with a walk. He was caught stealing in the ninth.

A.J. Pierzynski hit a 2-run homer to highlight a 3-run third inning for the Sox, and Los Angeles catcher Mike Napoli also homered.

"I didn't miss a pitch whenever he was up at bat," said John Danks, who was 13-11 with a 3.77 ERA with the White Sox in 2009 and is expected to fit somewhere in the rotation after Mark Buehrle and Jake Peavy.

John Danks said he kept it simple, throwing only one curveball and mostly fastballs and changeups instead.

"I was really focused on throwing strikes," he said. "All in all, I'm pretty happy with it."

Angels' right-hander Joel Pineiro is in a similar situation. Pineiro worked 2 innings and allowed 3 hits and 1 run with a walk and 2 strikeouts.

"I had a little bit of butterflies, I'm not going to lie," said Pineiro, who was 15-13 with a 3.49 ERA with St. Louis last season and led the majors in fewest pitches per walks (1.14). "It was exciting being out there."

Pineiro figures to fit somewhere in the middle to the back end of an Angels rotation that features Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana and Scott Kazmir.