White Sox 4, Astros 3
CHICAGO - Jordan Danks is starting to shed the tag of "John Danks' little brother" with each trip to the plate.
After homering to help his older brother beat the Texas Rangers on Sunday, Danks started in center field for the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night and delivered again in a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros at U.S. Cellular Field.
Danks went 3-for-4 and put his team ahead by what turned out to be the final score in the bottom of the eighth, rapping a clutch two-out single to center off Astros reliever Erik Bedard with the bases loaded.
Paul Konerko also came through with a two-out RBI single in the inning as the Sox overcame a 3-1 deficit to take their first lead of the game.
Addison Reed pitched the ninth for his 36th save, and Donnie Veal (2-3) picked up the win by throwing a scoreless 1/3 of an inning to get the Sox out of the eighth with two runners on base and keep his team within striking distance.
Chicago's late heroics spoiled a nice effort by Houston rookie Paul Clemens, who made his first major league start after beginning the season in the Astros' bullpen. Clemens was back up for the first time since being sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City to stretch out his arm and showed why the plan is for him to join the Astros' six-man rotation for the rest of the season.
He needed just 78 pitches (45 strikes) to get through six innings and allow one run. He was efficient on a hot, humid night conducive to giving up home runs. Clemens only struck out two but only gave up four hits and two walks.
His counterpart in the other dugout was nearly as good. Jose Quintana went 7 2/3 innings and allowed three runs in taking yet another no-decision. It was Quintana's second no-decision in a row and 16th in 27 starts this season, the most in the majors.
Houston scored one run in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings against the Sox left-hander, but he forced them to earn all three. Quintana also struck out eight and matched his second longest outing of the year.
Matt Dominguez led the way offensively for Houston for a second straight night, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs -- while former White Sox prospect Chris Carter followed up his two-homer performance on Monday night by singling in the Astros' third run for a 3-1 lead in the eighth.
Konerko and Avisail Garcia each went 2-for-4 with RBI singles for Chicago, which also got a 2-for-3 game out of Alexei Ramirez, who scored twice.
Unlike the night before, when the two teams combined for seven home runs, the first half of the game was a pitchers' duel between Quintana and Clemens.
Neither team scored before both plated a run in the fourth. Dominguez hit an RBI double in the top half of the inning and Garcia singled home a run in the bottom half.
NOTES: Newly promoted Leury Garcia is likely to start at shortstop for Chicago in the series finale on Wednesday to spell Alexei Ramirez. ... The White Sox extended condolences to former pitcher Jack Harshman's family. Harshman, who spent four of his nine major league seasons with the Sox, died on Aug. 17 in Georgetown, Texas. Harshman also struck out a franchise-record 16 batters on July 25, 1954, at Boston. ... The Astros officially recalled Clemens earlier in the day and sent RHP David Martinez back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... Before the game, Astros manager Bo Porter didn't have an update on injured catchers Max Stassi and Carlos Corporan, who both remain on the seven-day concussion disabled list. ... Porter said infielders and outfielders were addressed about several mental errors that were committed in Monday night's game, including CF Brandon Barnes missing the cutoff man and allowing the eventual tying run to advance to second.
