Kansas City (44-54) at Chi White Sox (55-42)

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kc

Buck's presence keys Royals success

Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
John Buck has started the last seven games as the Royals' catcher and there's a reason he's getting most of the time behind the plate.
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Royals probable pitcher

Brian Bannister

  • #19 RHP
  • (7-8) 5.24 ERA 69 SO
Royals: In his last pre-break outing, Bannister limited the White Sox to four hits but those included a pair of two-run homers by Carlos Quentin and a single run on a walk and a double. Bannister lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up five runs in all, and had no decision. Except for the two fastballs that Quentin belted out of the park, Bannister thought he pitched pretty well. But in his last three starts, he's surrendered seven, six and five earned runs -- 18 in 16 1/3 innings. Against the Sox in his career, he's 2-1 with a 6.67 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 21-18 4.42 318.0 100 165 .258
Season 7-8 5.24 115.0 34 69 .276
July 0-1 8.49 11.2 4 12 .279
Vs. Chi White Sox 0-0 6.75 6.2 3 6 .174

Series at a Glance

Standings - 07/20/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Kansas City Royals (AL Central) 44 54 .449 11.5 22-24 22-30
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 55 42 .567 - 33-15 22-27
Stats - 07/20/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
KC .262 411 72 385 52 605 4.51 873.0 891 297 636
CWS .264 475 130 464 42 594 3.60 868.2 829 275 688
cws

Danks looks to pick up White Sox

David Just / MLB.com
John Danks will look to prove his first half was no fluke as he takes the mound on Sunday in the series finale against Kansas City.
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White Sox probable pitcher

John Danks

  • #50 LHP
  • (7-4) 2.67 ERA 94 SO
White Sox: The native Texan won in his second career start in his home state and gave himself consecutive victories for the first time since winning on April 15 and 20 this season. Danks faced the minimum in five innings against the Rangers and had held them to just two runs until they scored twice more on him in the eighth inning. The bullpen held onto his lead, though, to give him his seventh win of the season. He struck out eight in the outing, giving him three straight starts with at least that many strikeouts. Danks will next face the Royals, who he received a no-decision against earlier in the season. He's yet to figure in a decision in two career starts against Kansas City.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 13-17 4.22 253.2 85 203 .265
Season 7-4 2.67 114.2 31 94 .234
July 2-0 2.86 22.0 3 25 .190
Vs. Kansas City 0-0 3.18 5.2 2 1 .273

Royals hitters vs John Danks

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Josh - - - - .444 9 0 2
Aviles, Mike - - - - .563 16 1 6
Betancourt, Yuniesky - - - - .333 6 1 1
Bianchi, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Bloomquist, Willie - - - - - - - -
Buck, John .000 1 0 0 .000 3 0 0
Butler, Billy - - - - .273 11 0 0
Callaspo, Alberto - - - - .333 3 0 0
DeJesus, David .333 3 0 0 .364 11 0 3
Dyson, Jarrod - - - - - - - -
Fields, Josh - - - - - - - -
Getz, Chris - - - - - - - -
Gordon, Alex .000 3 0 0 .100 10 0 0
Guillen, Jose .333 3 0 0 .333 15 2 5
Hernandez, Luis .500 2 0 0 .500 2 0 0
Jacobs, Mike - - - - - - - -
Ka'aihue, Kila - - - - .500 4 0 0
Lisson, Mario - - - - - - - -
Maier, Mitch - - - - .300 10 0 0
Parraz, Jordan - - - - - - - -
Pena, Brayan - - - - - - - -
Pina, Manuel - - - - - - - -

White Sox hitters vs Brian Bannister

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - - - - -
Beckham, Gordon - - - - - - - -
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Gartrell, Stefan - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul .000 3 0 0 .150 20 0 5
Kotsay, Mark - - - - - - - -
Lillibridge, Brent - - - - - - - -
Nix, Jayson - - - - - - - -
Pierzynski, A.J. - - - - .375 16 1 2
Quentin, Carlos .667 3 2 4 .600 5 2 4
Ramirez, Alexei .333 3 0 1 .500 8 1 5
Rios, Alex - - - - .500 2 0 0
Teahen, Mark - - - - - - - -
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

Five years in the making (45-54) (55-42)

Royals 8, White Sox 7

German's town

Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
The resilient Royals clinched their first series win at U.S. Cellular Field since 2003 in dramatic fashion. After squandering two leads -- including an early four-run advantage -- Kansas City took control for good on Esteban German's go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning.

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Series at a Glance

 

Comeback thwarted

David Just / MLB.com
Despite the efforts of Joe Crede and Nick Swisher, who combined for two homers and six RBIs, and slugger Jim Thome, who collected his 2,000th career hit, the Sox could not convert on their comeback bid after falling into an early deficit behind ineffective starter John Danks.
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Royals 8, White Sox 7

Kansas CityABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Teahen, RF5110025.248
Aviles, M, SS5131010.318
DeJesus, D, CF5123003.306
Butler, DH4110111.256
Grudzielanek, 2B4000013.303
Gordon, 3B2000111.250
  a-Guillen, PH-LF0100000.270
Olivo, C4000014.255
Gload, 1B2212210.269
German, LF-3B3132100.236
Totals3481185817 

a-Hit by pitch for Gordon in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Aviles, M (14, Danks), German 2 (5, Danks, Thornton).
TB: Teahen; Aviles, M 4; DeJesus, D 2; Butler; Gload; German 5.
RBI: DeJesus, D 3 (54), Gload 2 (22), Aviles, M (25), German 2 (11).
2-out RBI: Gload 2; Aviles, M; German 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: DeJesus, D; Teahen.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
SB: DeJesus, D (9, 2nd base off Danks/Pierzynski), Guillen (2, 2nd base off Dotel/Pierzynski), German (4, 3rd base off Thornton/Pierzynski).
CS: DeJesus, D 2 (7, 2nd base by Carrasco/Pierzynski, 2nd base by Danks/Pierzynski), Gload (4, 2nd base by Danks/Pierzynski).
PO: DeJesus, D (1st base by Danks).

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Guillen (Pierzynski at home).
DP: (Aviles, M-Grudzielanek-Gload).
 
Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Cabrera, SS5000012.264
Pierzynski, C5030001.287
Quentin, LF4120102.281
Dye, RF2110010.306
  1-Anderson, B, PR-CF2010012.231
Thome, DH5121033.252
Konerko, 1B4110011.217
Swisher, CF-RF4223120.238
Crede, 3B5113033.256
Ramirez, 2B4020010.311
Totals40715721314 


1-Ran for Dye in the 4th.

BATTING
2B: Quentin (17, Ramirez, R), Thome (21, Ramirez, R), Pierzynski (22, Mahay).
HR: Crede (17, 3rd inning off Bannister, 2 on, 2 out), Swisher (13, 7th inning off Ramirez, R, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Pierzynski 4; Quentin 3; Dye; Anderson, B; Thome 3; Konerko; Swisher 5; Crede 4; Ramirez 2.
RBI: Thome (53), Swisher 3 (45), Crede 3 (54).
2-out RBI: Thome; Swisher; Crede 3.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Crede 2; Quentin; Anderson, B 2; Thome.
GIDP: Quentin.
Team LOB: 10.

FIELDING
DP: 2 (Cabrera-Ramirez, Pierzynski-Cabrera).
Pickoffs: Danks (DeJesus, D at 1st base).
 
Kansas CityIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Bannister 3.08551415.49
Ramirez, H 2.22000201.50
Ramirez, R (BS, 4)(W, 1-1)1.13220413.06
Mahay (H, 16)1.02001101.78
Soria (S, 26)1.00000201.43
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Danks 4.09662303.03
Carrasco 3.01002301.00
Dotel (H, 13)0.20110103.07
Thornton (BS, 3)(L, 4-2)0.11111002.52
Jenks 1.00000101.89

HBP: Konerko (by Bannister), Dye (by Ramirez, H), Guillen (by Dotel).
Pitches-strikes: Bannister 77-46, Ramirez, H 31-21, Ramirez, R 25-18, Mahay 24-12, Soria 8-7, Danks 78-49, Carrasco 34-19, Dotel 12-6, Thornton 10-6, Jenks 14-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Bannister 2-3, Ramirez, H 5-1, Ramirez, R 0-0, Mahay 0-1, Soria 0-1, Danks 1-6, Carrasco 1-3, Dotel 0-1, Thornton 1-0, Jenks 1-1.
Batters faced: Bannister 19, Ramirez, H 10, Ramirez, R 7, Mahay 5, Soria 3, Danks 21, Carrasco 10, Dotel 3, Thornton 3, Jenks 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Ramirez, R 1-0, Thornton 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Mike Reilly. 1B: Bob Davidson. 2B: Alfonso Marquez. 3B: Andy Fletcher.
Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 6 mph, R to L.
T: 3:09.
Att: 32,269.
July 20, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner