NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) — John Danks took the mound amid speculation he could be traded.
Instead, it was the opposing team that provided the deadline drama — and that was fine with the Chicago left-hander.
“This is where I’m comfortable,” Danks said. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of lifelong friends here and I’m happy to be here.”
Danks wasn’t at his best Thursday, but Moises Sierra had four hits and Jose Abreu and Adam Eaton added three apiece to lift the White Sox to a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. The game quickly became a secondary concern in the Motor City when the Tigers acquired star left-hander David Price from Tampa Bay in a three-team deal.
Danks allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings. He wasn’t traded, but his Detroit counterpart Drew Smyly was. Smyly pitched five innings and allowed four runs on 11 hits, then was dealt in the trade for Price.
Danks remains with the White Sox.
“Truthfully it wasn’t even a topic of conversation in here between anybody,” Danks said. “There’s nothing anybody can do about it. It’s part of the game and yeah, I don’t think that had any effect on any of us to be honest.”
Joakim Soria (1-4) — another pitcher Detroit recently traded for — hit Paul Konerko with the bases loaded in the seventh to give the White Sox a 5-4 lead.
Abreu extended his hitting streak to 20 games.
Ronald Belisario (4-7) got the win in relief, and Jake Petricka pitched the ninth for his sixth save.
Detroit’s Torii Hunter and J.D. Martinez hit back-to-back homers in the third.
Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson had to be pulled with one out in the top of the seventh, jogging off the field with the trade deadline looming. He was part of the trade for Price too, going from Detroit to Seattle.
“Just kind of a sad moment right there knowing that last run off the field, it was pretty tough with all your teammates that you played with,” Jackson said.
AMAZING ABREU
Abreu doubled twice off Smyly to extend his hitting streak. The Chicago slugger has hit safely in 38 of his last 39 games.
Only two rookies have had longer hitting streaks for the White Sox: Guy Curtright had a 26-gamer in 1943, and Chico Carrasquel had a 24-gamer in 1950.
SORIA’S STRUGGLES
Soria came on in the seventh in a tie game and struck out Eaton, only to have the Chicago hitter reach base on a wild pitch. After a single by Alexei Ramirez and an intentional walk to Abreu, Soria got pinch-hitter Conor Gillaspie on a popup before hitting Konerko.
“I wouldn’t say that was a rough outing to be honest with you,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “I know he gave up the run and he gave up that hit, but I thought it was a pretty good outing.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: Outfielder Avisail Garcia (shoulder) and reliever Matt Lindstrom (ankle) are both starting rehab assignments Friday at Triple-A Charlotte.
Tigers: Outfielder Andy Dirks, who has missed the whole season so far because of back problems that required surgery, is set to begin a rehab stint Friday with Class A West Michigan.
ON DECK
White Sox: Chicago returns home to face Minnesota on Friday night. Ace left-hander Chris Sale (10-1) takes the mound for the White Sox against Logan Darnell (9-6) of the Twins.
Tigers: Detroit takes on Colorado in an interleague matchup. Justin Verlander (9-9) starts for the Tigers against Franklin Morales (5-5).
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