For White Sox and Danks, deja vu in Minny

MINNEAPOLIS -- If Monday's 13-2 loss to the Twins felt like déjà vu for John Danks and the White Sox, that's because it practically was.

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The last time the White Sox played in Minnesota, on May 3, they lost a 13-3 game. They made four errors and Danks struggled, giving up seven runs (three earned).

On Monday, Danks gave up nine runs -- five earned -- and the defense made three errors. Shortstop Alexei Ramirez threw a routine double-play ball into right field, helping set the stage for a five-run fourth inning for the Twins.

"[Danks] needs to pitch better. He knows that," manager Robin Ventura said.

As for Ramirez's error, "There's one that [he] should have made. I mean, we know that, but at that point it does get frustrating, but that wasn't the reason for the game," he said. "I mean, we should play much better than that. That's an unfortunate one, but you've got to be able to come back and bounce back from it."

The Twins began the fourth inning with a solo home run from Joe Mauer. After a walk to Torii Hunter, third baseman Trevor Plouffe reached on Ramirez's error.

"That play had no bearing on any of the pitches after that," Danks said. "It's my job to pick him up, and I didn't do it. That play had no bearing on the sixth inning, either, so I don't think that's why we lost the game."

The White Sox gave up five runs in the sixth inning -- three charged to Danks and two to reliever Scott Carroll.

"I stunk. There's really no other way to put it. I wasn't good in the bullpen, wasn't good in the game," Danks said. "Made bad pitches, got hit. Got to throw early strikes, got to get ahead and got to make some quality pitches. I didn't do it."

Danks said that he's had bad pregame bullpens in the past and come out and pitched well. He chalked up Monday's outing to not making enough quality pitches to give his team a chance. The Twins hammered him for three home runs, including two second-deck blasts.

"I think for him, that changeup, he's got to get people swinging and missing and out front. They seemed to be getting on him a little bit later," Ventura said.

After struggling offensively throughout June, the Twins enjoyed a breakout performance on Monday. The White Sox, meanwhile, haven't scored more than three runs since June 13. Chicago had 11 hits but left 10 runners on base and hit 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

"We've obviously lost some games lately, but I mean I don't think [it's] too common to get blown out like that. It's just one of those nights, unfortunately," third baseman Gordon Beckham said. "Right now we're just not finding a way to win the game and make the plays to win the game and get the knocks to win the game. We're just not finding a way to do it."