VENUE: Kauffman Stadium
The last three times Chicago White Sox left-hander John Danks gave up five or more runs, he bounced back with a strong start.
Danks and the visiting White Sox hope that trend continues Sunday against the Kansas City Royals as they try to avoid a fifth consecutive series defeat.
After the series opener at Kauffman Stadium was washed out Friday, Chicago (67-56) split a doubleheader Saturday night to pull within four games of Minnesota in the AL Central. The White Sox dropped the first game 6-5 in 11 innings, but won the nightcap 7-6 on Juan Pierre's 10th-inning double.
"A split is not what we wanted, but we battled back," Pierre said. "You don't have time for doubts after Kansas City tied it. You've just got to play. That's the kind of mentality we have."
While attempting to match his career high for victories set last season, Danks (12-8, 3.33 ERA) will also try to help his team avoid its 11th loss in 16 games and its first string of five consecutive series defeats since May 2009.
The left-hander is coming off one of his worst performances of the season. In Tuesday's 10-inning, 7-6 loss to Minnesota, Danks gave up five runs and a career-high 11 hits over seven innings - putting his team in an early hole by yielding four runs in the first.
There is reason for optimism, though, as the last three times Danks has allowed five runs or more, he compiled a 1.31 ERA in the subsequent starts.
"We are not going to give up," Danks told the White Sox's official website. "We will play until we are told we are not (in contention) anymore."
Danks also will look to continue his success at Kauffman Stadium, where he is 2-0 record with a 1.63 ERA in four career starts, including a 5-0 win July 3, 2009.
Royals shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, who went 3 for 5 with a grand slam and five RBIs in Saturday's opener, is 4 for 8 with two homers in his career off Danks.
Having won eight of 12 at home and five of eight overall, Kansas City (52-71) is hoping to get another strong outing from Zack Greinke (8-11, 3.90). The 2009 AL Cy Young winner allowed one run for the second straight outing in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Cleveland and is 7-3 over his last 12 starts.
Greinke is 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA in last four matchups with Chicago and allowed six runs and a season high-tying 10 hits over eight innings against the White Sox on June 30, but got credit for Kansas City's 7-6 home victory.
This time, he'll face a White Sox team that despite its recent struggles has collected at least 10 hits in eight consecutive games, batting .335 over that span. Chicago last recorded double-digit hits in nine straight contests June 1-10, 2008.
