White Sox Top Texas, Viciedo Injured
The Texas Rangers had a strong lead against the White Sox until Chicago overcame that deficit in the ninth inning. However, Dayan Viciedo was hit by a pitch and broke his thumb.
Even White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was impressed by Phil Humber on Thursday.
Humber threw three scoreless innings, Mark Teahen homered and Chicago rallied for a 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Humber allowed two hits, struck out two and walked none. His status appears to be tied to Jake Peavy: The White Sox are searching for a long reliever as well as a starter in case Peavy's not ready to go when the season starts.
He certainly caught the attention of Guillen, who said Wednesday he's been waiting for a pitcher to impress him.
"I said yesterday nobody's impressed me at all," Guillen said. "It was nice because this kid came out and pitched the ball well against a tough team. It was a big step, a huge step for him today."
Humber has bounced around since he was traded from the New York Mets to the Minnesota Twins in the Johan Santana deal in 2009. The Kansas City Royals waived the right-hander in December, and he was picked up by Oakland. He joined the White Sox after the Athletics cut him in January.
He threw 19 of his 26 pitches for strikes against the Rangers.
"I think managers, that's what they want to see, especially for a long man," Humber said. "If you're a guy like that they want you to attack the batters and see what happens. If you're walking guys, they have no use for you."
While Humber provided some good news, the White Sox lost right fielder Dayan Viciedo to a broken right thumb when he was hit by an inside changeup from Dave Bush in the eighth inning.
Viciedo, in the middle of a terrific spring, is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks.
"It's sad," said Guillen, adding Viciedo still could make the team out of camp if he recovers quickly. "He earned that. That's why we can't take anything away from the kid."
C.J. Wilson pitched four innings for the Rangers, allowing a run and three hits. Wilson, already picked to start on opening day, threw 36 of his 59 pitches for strikes.
"In spring training you have to work on all sorts of stuff at the same time," said Wilson, who was focusing on his cut fastball, slider and changeup. "That's why I'm working on them one game at a time."
The Rangers had a scare in the sixth when left fielder Craig Gentry ended up in Chicago's bullpen after trying to track down Mark Teahen's two-run homer. He crashed through a gate in the outfield wall, landing on top of White Sox catcher Donny Lucy.
"I ran all the way out there to see if he was OK," Texas center fielder Julio Borbon said. "It's the last thing I would have imagined happening."
Gentry stayed in the game and was the last Rangers starter still playing. Lucy ended up catching the ball.
Josh Hamilton hit an RBI single and Mike Napoli added a two-run double in Texas' five-run sixth inning.
NOTES: Gentry had another encounter with the wall in the top of the eighth, bouncing off the middle of the fence while trying to catch Teahen's double.
Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
