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White Sox scold Cubs in series decider

Starter John Danks of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday at US Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. PHOTO: AFP

INTERLEAGUE

The Chicago White Sox took the decider of their three-game series with cross-town rivals the Cubs as John Danks and Scott Linebrink combined on a four-hitter in the 6-0 win on Sunday.

Danks struck out five and walked four over seven innings, while Linebrink struck out four in two perfect relief innings to give the Sox their second straight win over the Cubs after losing the series opener.

Danks also beat the Cubs 4-1 on June 17 and has allowed just one earned run in his 14 innings against them this season.

“I didn’t throw as many strikes this time around, but I feel like I was still able to make the big pitch when I had to and guys were making plays all over the field for me,” Danks told reporters.

Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the third inning and that was all the runs the Sox would need, but Jermaine Dye also hit a solo homer for the winners. Chris Getz stole home for another run in the sixth inning.

The White Sox took two of three games during the week against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the best record in the majors, and then won two of three in this series.

Manager Ozzie Guillen was not ready to talk up the team’s prospects despite their run of good form, however.

“I’m going to take it one day at a time and try to move on real sneaky and quiet and see where we are in September,” Guillen said.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano (4-3) struggled, allowing five runs, four of them earned, on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings.

“You have to give credit to the other pitcher, Danks,” Zambrano said. “Sometimes the other pitcher comes with his best stuff and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Cubs manager Lou Piniella was frank about Zambrano’s performance.

“He was so-so,” Piniella said.

The White Sox lead the all-time series 36-35, with the teams yet to play a make-up game later this season from their first series at Wrigley Field.

BRAVES 2, RED SOX 1

At Atlanta, homers by Chipper Jones and Garret Anderson carried the Atlanta Braves past Boston 2-1 on Sunday, preventing a Red Sox sweep.

Pitching dominated the weekend series, with the teams combining for only nine runs in three games.

Rookie Tommy Hanson threw six scoreless innings, limiting Boston to two hits on another sweltering day at Turner Field and extending his scoreless streak to 20 innings.

ROYALS 3, PIRATES 2

At Pittsburgh, Kansas City Royals kept the Pirates from sweeping an interleague series for the first time since 2001.

David DeJesus hit a solo homer off Charlie Morton (0-1) and drove in two runs to support Zack Greinke (10-3), who gave up seven hits in six-and-a-third innings ahead of the 59-minute rain delay.

TIGERS 4, ASTROS 3

At Houston, Brandon Inge hit a two-run homer off Jose Valverde with two outs in the ninth inning as the Tigers averted a sweep against the Astros.

Kaz Matsui’s RBI double off Edwin Jackson in the seventh gave Houston a 3-2 lead.

Tim Byrdak retired two batters in relief of Russ Ortiz in the eighth and Valverde (0-2) started the ninth, looking for his seventh save. Placido Polanco and Miguel Cabrera each flied out before Valverde walked Marcus Thames.

Inge then drove a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for his 18th home run.

RAYS 5, MARLINS 2

At St Petersburg, Florida, David Price allowed one run over six-and-a-third innings as the Rays beat the Marlins to complete a three-game sweep.

Price gave up two hits, five walks and had four strikeouts. The first overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft was coming off a pair of losses in which the left-hander was touched for 15 runs and 17 hits in 11-and-a-third innings.

B.J. Upton homered for the Rays, who have won five in a row.

REDS 8, INDIANS 1

At Cleveland, Ohio, Brandon Phillips celebrated his 28th birthday by leading the Reds over his former team.

Phillips broke out of a 1-for-16 slump with three hits, three runs and three RBIs as the Reds took two of three from their Ohio rivals to move back to .500 overall. Ramon Hernandez also had three hits and three RBIs for Cincinnati.

PHILLIES 5, BLUE JAYS 4

At Toronto, Chase Utley hit a two-run triple as the Phillies held on to edge the Blue Jays.



In other interleague play:

• Nationals 5, Orioles 3

• Twins 6, Cardinals 2

• Mariners 4, Dodgers 2

• Rockies 3, Athletics 1

• Angels 12, Diamondbacks 8

• Padres 2, Rangers 0



NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

At Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ryan Sadowski scattered four hits over six scoreless innings in his major league debut as the Giants beat the Brewers 7-0.

Matt Downs hit his first major league homer and Nate Schierholtz had four hits, including a homer for the Giants, who snapped a six-game skid in Milwaukee after watching a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the ninth crumble on Saturday night.
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