White Sox pitcher John Danks continued messing up his manager's golf game, as well as emerging as a big-time starter for the club in just his second full year.
"The reason why we are where we are right now is because the two kids stepping up, (Gavin) Floyd and Danks," Guillen insisted on Sunday. "If those kids did not step up the way they did, I'd be playing golf right now." Floyd gets his chance on Monday, but Sunday belonged to Danks, as he once again stepped up in a win-or-go-home game.
Following up eight shutout innings in the 1-0 win over the Twins in Tuesday night's play-in game, Danks went 6 2/3 innings against the Rays in what was the Sox' last stand, allowing three runs on seven hits. Was it dominant? No. But thanks to the Sox finally having their offense show up in Game 4 of the AL Division Series, the second-year pitcher didn't need to be.
"Again, this guy is a good pitcher," Tampa Bay skipper Joe Maddon said of Danks. "And I thought when I first saw him from that point until the latter part of the season, I thought he's made some tremendous improvements."
His catcher would vouch for that.
"Basically, he picked up a cutter and it's made a world of difference," A.J. Pierzynski said. "His other stuff is really good, and that cutter just gets him off the fastball just enough to where it makes him just that much more effective."
That's all well and good, but the emergence of Danks is more about becoming battle-tested because he hasn't had a choice. The last few weeks have been pass/fail, and he's not accepting the latter.
"Obviously the same things were on the line, and it was the same kind of game," Danks said. "But definitely just trying to stay within myself, and A.J. did a good job of keeping me under control. And, you know, I mean, it worked out all right I guess."
WHITE SOX 5, RAYS 3: A.J. Pierzynski and Ken Griffey Jr. led the Sox with two hits each, but it was Dewayne Wise who stole the show, setting up the first run of the game by walking and stealing second, and then adding a huge two-run double in the fourth.
John Danks was called on to save the season once again, and he did just that, as the left-hander went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. But it was the bullpen that slammed the door, as Octavio Dotel, Matt Thornton and Bobby Jenks combined to allow just one hit. With the best-of-five series still 2-1 in the Rays' favor, the Sox are once again facing elimination Monday.
