Throws five shutout innings in Chicago’s 6-3 victory
PHOENIX – John Danks threw five shutout innings and Carlos Quentin went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs to help the Chicago White Sox beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3 on Friday night at Chase Field.
Paul Konerko was 2-for-4 and drove in a run, Chris Getz was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI and Jim Thome and Alexei Ramirez each added RBI singles for the White Sox, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
“If we play like this, it’s going to be a real exciting year,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.
Mark Reynolds and Felipe Lopez had RBI singles in the seventh off Scott Linebrink for the Diamondbacks, who lost their sixth straight.
Danks allowed only Conor Jackson’s leadoff single in the second and a double by Stephen Drew with two outs in the third. He walked one, struck out five and lowered his spring ERA to 2.93.
“Danks is good. No question about it,” Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s a very successful pitcher and he had a great year last year.”
Danks, who ranked fifth in the American League in ERA last season, will pitch the final game of the White Sox’s opening three-game series against Kansas City on April 9.
“It was a great outing,” Guillen said. “He threw the ball well all spring training. I always say, you throw strikes and you’re always going to have success.”
Minor leaguer Glenn Enright started and went three innings for the Diamondbacks, allowing four hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Arizona right-hander Tony Peña’s spring struggles continued as he gave up a run on two singles with a strikeout. Peña has surrendered 32 hits and has a 9.00 ERA in nine innings across eight games.
Right-hander Chad Qualls, Arizona’s most reliable reliever during the Cactus League, pitched a scoreless sixth inning to lower his ERA to 2.70.
Arizona center fielder Chris Young made a sprinting catch of Getz’s deep fly to the warning track with the bases loaded to end Chicago’s three-run eighth.