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It was Danks’ third consecutive start of six-plus innings while allowing two or fewer runs.
It was also his second complete game of the year and second career shutout. His 10 strikeouts matched a career high.
Danks (6-9) retired 16 of the first 17 batters he faced. Kyle Seager’s soft grounder back up the middle in the third gave Seattle its only base-runner through the first five innings.
Consecutive singles from Juan Pierre and Alejandro De Aza put runners on the corners for Chicago in the fourth.
Paul Konerko worked a full count and looped a soft single into left field to score Pierre and move De Aza to third. Alexei Ramirez drove in De Aza with a sacrifice fly to center field to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead.
Brendan Ryan drew a one-out walk in the sixth inning and Ichiro Suzuki followed with an infield single to give the Mariners their first runner in scoring position.
Danks bounced back by getting Franklin Gutierrez on a called third strike and Dustin Ackley flew out to left field to end the threat.
Mariners starter Michael Pineda (9-8) allowed two runs on three hits, all in the fourth inning.
De Aza added a solo home run in the eighth inning off Mariners reliever Chance Ruffin.
IT’S FELIX, ER, LARRY
It was “Larry Bernandez” bobblehead night at Safeco Field on Saturday, and the very same Bernandez from Seattle Mariners commercials – played by one Felix Hernandez in disguise – spent about 15 minutes distributing the giveaways.
As fans poured through the gates behind home plate, Felix made an unannounced appearance, dressed as the Bernandez of commercial fame.
Quite a few of the fans he served had no idea it was really Felix.
“One woman said, ‘You look just like the actor who played him in the commercials,’ ” said Elaine Thompson, a photographer for The Associated Press. “Felix said, ‘I am that guy!’ and she just smiled. I think she thought he was an actor.”
The “Bernandez” identity began with a spring training shoot in which Felix put on a different uniform and tried to fool manager Eric Wedge into letting him start back-to-back games.
“I’m not a big commercial type,” Wedge said “I remember telling them at the end of the 10th take, ‘This is the last take, you’ve got to pick one of them.’ But Felix was out there before me and he was there after me.
“They told me how great this was going to be, but it’s really taken on a life of its own.”
The team distributed 20,000 “Bernandez” bobbleheads.
Felix passed out a few dozen to unsuspecting fans, perhaps half of whom recognized him as the 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner.
A little later, he removed all doubt.
Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch? Larry Bernandez – or Felix in disguise.
ON TAP
Seattle plays host to Chicago in a 1:10 p.m. game today that will be broadcast on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Chicago’s Gavin Floyd (11-10, 4.45 ERA) vs. Jason Vargas (7-11, 4.18).
Staff writer Larry LaRue contributed to this report.
