(MCT) — Alejandro De Aza wasn't happy after Cubs reliever Manny Corpas hit him on the right thigh with the first pitch of the eighth inning.
"Yes, I do think I got hit on purpose," De Aza said after the White Sox 's 7-0 victory Wednesday night. "I don't know, but the way they throw that ball, I think it was on purpose."
De Aza said he was surprised and angry, adding that he and Corpas are friends.
"I think they just told him to hit the first guy," De Aza said.
Swing time; The White Sox appear willing to accept Adam Dunn 's high strikeout rate in exchange for one of the most remarkable turnarounds in franchise history.
Dunn, however, doesn't believe his recent rash of strikeouts is the result of chasing bad pitches that contributed to his 177 strikeouts and .159 batting average last season.
"Actually, I haven't (chased bad pitches)," Dunn said before Wednesday night's game against the Cubs. "I just can't make contact. There are a few pitches I've swung at that are bad, but for the most part, I don't want to say I'm trying to do too much.
"I'm swinging too hard, actually. I know that sounds stupid, but I'm seeing it pretty good. I'm just swinging too hard."
Entering Wednesday's game, Dunn had struck out eight times in his last three games and 11 in his last six. Dunn had 109 strikeouts and was on pace to reach 260, which would surpass Mark Reynolds ' major league record of 223 in 2009.
On the flip side, Dunn was on pace to set a franchise mark with 55 home runs44 more than he hit last seasonand drive in 124 (he had 42 RBIs in 2011).
Danks update: Pitcher John Danks was shagging flies during batting practice. His rehabilitation and strengthening program with trainer Herm Schneider will start Friday.
Pitching coach Don Cooper sounded more definitive and optimistic about the prospects of Danks recovering from a Grade 1 strain of the subscapularis muscle in his left shoulder.
"It looks like we can get him back around the third week of July, if everything goes right," Cooper told CSN Chicago.
That would mean a July 16-19 return against the Red Sox in Boston or perhaps against the Tigers in Detroit the following series. It also might be a bit ambitious because Danks suffered soreness two days after pitching four innings in a minor league rehab assignment June 12. Danks isn't scheduled to resume a minor league rehab assignment for at least three weeks, according to an update the Sox issued Tuesday.
Extra innings: Outfielder Kosuke Fukudome is 2-for-10 in three games on a minor league rehabilitation assignment for Triple-A Charlotte. … Terry and Lynn Iker of Arlington Heights, winners of Jake Peavy 's raffle that raised more than $52,000 to benefit pancreatic cancer research, watched Wednesday's game from a suite Dunn and his wife Rachel donated. ———
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