Quintana Looks Sharp, White Sox Beat Dodgers, 6-4
GLENDALE, Ariz. (CBSLA.com/AP) — Forget about opening day. Jose Quintana just wants to have a better spring than he had last year.
Quintana pitched two perfect innings, Alexei Ramirez drove in three runs and the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Wednesday in the exhibition opener for each team.
"My mind is fresh," Quintana said. "I'm focused on the spring and preparation. Last year I had the bad spring, and this time I want to do the best for me and get ready to make it a good season."
With Chris Sale recovering from a broken right foot, Quintana could start on opening day. But the left-hander said he is hoping Sale is able to return in time.
"I think Sale is the first guy here, and we need him to throw the opening day, and we want him to come back healthy," he said.
Ramirez, Jose Abreu, Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia had two hits apiece for the White Sox, who are looking for a big year after a productive offseason. Adam LaRoche, who agreed to a $25 million, two-year contract with Chicago in November, had a two-run double in his first game with his new team.
Joc Pederson, one of the majors' top prospects, had two hits for Los Angeles, and Jimmy Rollins singled in the third for his first hit with the Dodgers. Rollins was acquired in a December trade with Philadelphia.
"Just glad it wasn't a home run, because you can only go down from there," Rollins cracked. "But no, you want to do it for yourself. I mean this time of year, you know you can still play but you always want to feel like you can still play, and part of that is being able to hit the ball and it's like `Yes, OK."'
Rollins, it was announced Tuesday, will bat lead off for the Dodgers in 2015.
Erik Bedard allowed one run and two hits in two innings for Los Angeles. The veteran left-hander is in camp on a minor league deal and likely will begin the year at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
"Here to help," he said. "If somebody gets hurt, fill in and do the best I can."
MOURNING MINNIE
There was a pregame moment of silence for former White Sox outfielder Minnie Minoso, who died Sunday at age 90. Minoso, who made his major league debut just two years after Jackie Robinson and turned into the game's first black Latino star, is one of only two players to appear in a major league game in five different decades.
STARTING TIME
White Sox: Quintana struck out two while throwing 20 of his 26 pitches for strikes. "He looks strong," manager Robin Ventura said.
Dodgers: Bedard said he didn't notice the new pitch clocks designed to speed up the pace of play, but was pleased to hear he worked quickly enough to avoid any infractions. "Next time I'll look at that," he said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: Sale had a small wrap on his right foot and a slight limp when he walked through the clubhouse before the game. Sale is expected to miss at least three weeks after he was injured Friday in what the team described as an accident at home. ... RHP Zach Putnam was sidelined by a stomach ailment.
Dodgers: Manager Don Mattingly said the team is being cautious with RHP Brandon Beachy, who missed last season after he had his second Tommy John surgery during spring training. "Coming off the second one is not the same timetable as a guy coming off just his first one, so it's a little slower process," Mattingly said. Beachy agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract with Los Angeles last month.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP John Danks makes his first start of the spring in Chicago's second straight game against Los Angeles. Danks, who turns 30 on April 15, went 11-11 with a 4.74 ERA in 32 starts last year. But he finished strong, going 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA over his last three outings.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw makes his spring debut against the White Sox. Kershaw led Los Angeles to the NL West title last year, going 21-3 with 239 strikeouts in 198 1-3 innings and a career-low 1.77 ERA. He won his second straight NL Cy Young Award and his first MVP trophy.
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