From the Locker Room: Dane Dunning
But for one pitch that landed in the seats, barely past an outfielder's outstretched glove, Dane Dunning would have completed a scoreless five innings in his major league debut earlier this month.
So for his encore performance on Sunday, Dunning threw five scoreless — and hitless.
"I definitely felt really comfortable on the mound today," Dunning smiled. "I felt in my groove, felt really good."
And in contrast to his debut, Dunning was a little bit more at ease on the mound at Sox Park.
"In my debut, my nerves were a little high all game," he said. "Today, there were some nerves in the first inning" but things normalized from there.
Dunning is still raw enough to be happy simply putting his team in a good position with his starts, in fact leaving the game with a lead, and in line for his first major league victory.
"I'm just trying to help the team win in any way possible," he said.
Dunning admitted that he didn't need to be "told" per se about getting his second MLB start, while working out at the alternate White Sox site in Schaumburg.
"I kind of knew [I'd be starting] for the most part," Dunning said. "It kind of lined up, but just getting the call is exciting."
Manager Ricky Renteria admitted that Dunning seemed a little surprised when he was told he was out of the game after five hitless innings, but Dunning said there wasn't any chatter in the dugout covering his brief waltz with immortality.
Dunning also admitted there was "no plan going forward" for him to join the regular rotation, but Renteria said postgame that Dunning had definitely earned consideration to do so.
Dunning also wants to go deeper into games.
"I feel like I’m capable of doing it," he said. "In Schaumburg, I've been throwing longer outings. I feel like I can go long."
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Video courtesy of the Chicago White Sox.