M’s get gem from Weaver
CHICAGO – Jeff Weaver is accustomed to slow starts. He’s also getting used to dominating late in the year.
Weaver pitched his second shutout of the season and Adrian Beltre hit a two-run homer to lead the Seattle Mariners past the Chicago White Sox 6-0 Sunday.
Weaver, who started the 2006 season 1-7 before becoming the World Series hero for the St. Louis Cardinals, has won consecutive starts after losing four straight. Before beating Baltimore 10-3 on Tuesday, Weaver hadn’t won since June 25 against Boston.
“It was kind of disappointing when you start out slow,” said Weaver, who won the clinching game in the Fall Classic. “You know what you’re capable of and when you’re not helping contribute it’s discouraging.
“But I’ve been around long enough that I know how long the season is. I just focus on putting those starts behind me and worrying about the next start. If you try to get everything back in one start, it makes it worse. I’ve been through that before.”
His other shutout came June 20 against Pittsburgh, when he scattered four hits in a 7-0 win.
“Over the course of my career, that’s exactly what’s happened. I feel better as the season goes on,” Weaver said.
Weaver (4-10) had a season-high eight strikeouts and retired 11 in a row between the first and fourth innings. He allowed five hits and didn’t walk a batter.
Jose Guillen and Richie Sexson also homered for the Mariners, who have won 11 of their last 15 games and continue to lead the American League wild-card standings. The Mariners are 15 games over .500, tying a season-high.
White Sox starter John Danks gave up back-to-back singles to Ichiro Suzuki and Jose Lopez to start the game. Guillen followed with a double down the line in left, and Suzuki scored but Lopez was tagged out at the plate. Guillen went to third on the throw and scored on Beltre’s groundout to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead.
Sexson led off the second with a solo shot, his 18th of the season and first since July 26.
Lopez singled in the third, then one out later, Beltre connected off Danks for his 18th homer of the year to give the Mariners a 5-0 lead.
Guillen chased Danks with his 16th homer of the season in the fifth inning.
Danks (6-10) allowed six runs and eight hits, striking out five and walking one. He hasn’t won since July 16 at Cleveland, going 0-4 in his last five starts.
The White Sox just missed a scoring chance in the first inning. With Jerry Owens on first and one out, Jim Thome hit a 1-2 pitch that bounced off the top of the fence but stayed in play. Owens went to third on Thome’s double, but Weaver got out of the inning.