Ventura confident in Dunn despite tough stretch

CHICAGO -- Since Adam Dunn left a May 18 game in Anaheim with lower back soreness, the designated hitter is 2-for-25 with 13 strikeouts. He broke a hitless stretch of 17 at-bats with a first-inning homer in Sunday's 5-3 victory over the Marlins, his first hit since going deep in the first inning of the series opener with Boston on Monday.

Dunn continues to play through the back pain, although he said postgame on Sunday that he was feeling considerably better. White Sox manager Robin Ventura remains confident in Dunn, even with the back issue apparently altering his swing.

"He's doing something. You don't necessarily know what it is unless you're the guy at the plate," Ventura said. "But it is a little different, and eventually he's going to get healthy and get back to kind of that run we went on when we went back on the road trip."

Over his last 12 games, Dunn has six homers and 15 RBIs.