Ventura can’t second-guess close calls

The 1-0 victory gave the Sox an 8-11 record in one-run games and a half-game lead over the Indians in the American League Central, but think about where they would be if they had won more. The Indians are 12-2 in that category, and the third-place Tigers are 13-12.

Five of the last seven Sox losses were by a run, including 1-0 to the Cardinals and Brewers and 2-1 to the Cubs and Dodgers.

“They are worse than the ones where you get drubbed by seven or eight runs,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.

Ventura says he naturally goes over every one-run loss.

“In the end, the decisions that you make, if you think they are sound decisions, that’s what happens,” he said. “You won’t win them (all) no matter what kind of decisions you make.

“They are important. But we are not going to beat ourselves up about it. You make the decision you think is right and you live with it.”

Big day: It was just a game of catch from 75 feet, but starting pitcher John Danks felt like he had been freed from a rehab prison.

“All in all, a positive step,” Danks said. “I was just trying to gauge where I’m at.”

Danks said he still has pain in parts of the motion, similar to that in his shoulder that placed him on the disabled list.

“Some of that is the injury, but a lot could be that I haven’t thrown the ball (in a while), so maybe there is some rust in there,” he said.

Sad day: Padres pitching coach Darrel Akerfelds died of pancreatic cancer Sunday, just a week after former pupil Jake Peavy raised more than $52,000 in his name for research.

“He was excited about the raffle and the money we made in his honor,” Peavy said. “It’s been a tough 24 hours, but he’s in a better place. He’s not in the pain he was in (Saturday) night. I’m relieved but I’m also (sad).”