Rollins Homers, White Sox Beat Giants Split Squad 8-7
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Jake Peavy described his latest outing as encouraging. After pitching to an 8.53 ERA in his first four starts, he certainly looked regular-season ready, even with the wind blowing out to left field.
"Got better for sure," Peavy said Tuesday after throwing 90 pitches for the San Francisco Giants in an 8-7 split-squad loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Jimmy Rollins' three-run homer and Travis Ishikawa's solo shot helped the White Sox rally after Peavy left the game. It was Rollins' third homer of the spring and the first for Ishikawa, the former Giant who hit the NL pennant-winning homer against St. Louis in 2014.
Both homers in the sixth came off Cory Gearrin.
Austin Jackson also homered, the first of the spring for Chicago's new center fielder. Brandon Belt and Miguel Olivo homered for San Francisco.
STARTING TIME
Giants: Peavy was charged with four runs in 4 2/3 innings, but three came early and he struck out eight, including the last batter he faced - Chicago's Jose Abreu.
"The first inning was a little rough. But I got better the second or third time through their lineup," Peavy said. "I made some real good pitches to their best guy, Abreu, third time through the lineup, to strike him out. Felt stronger and that's a good sign."
"Tough day to pitch but I think he did a nice job," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's got a plan. He's smart and he worked on the fastball command."
White Sox: Mat Latos pitched in a spring game for the first time after doing his work on the back fields until now. The veteran right-hander pitched for three teams last season and had knee surgery in the offseason.
The day started well for Latos, but he gave up the homers to Belt and Olivo in the fifth and left after 4 2/3. He allowed 11 hits and seven runs.
Chicago relievers Tyler Danish, Nate Jones and Zach Putnam permitted just two baserunners and no runs.
ABREU LOOKS HOMEWARD
While President Obama was watching the Tampa Bay Rays play the Cuban national team in Havana, White Sox slugger Abreu could hardly believe what he was seeing. He was part of a Major League Baseball contingent that visited Cuba in December, but he was still amazed.
"I am in shock right now," Abreu said through interpreter Billy Russo before Tuesday's game in Glendale. "I never thought this could happen so soon. It's very special."
Told that the president had used him as an example of a Cuban who went through a dangerous escape from the island just over two years ago, Abreu called the mention "an honor. I'm very blessed for that and for all that has happened to me."
Abreu, 28, made it and later signed a six-year, $68 million deal with the White Sox. But on Tuesday, he said he remembered his father buying a TV so they could watch the game in 1999 when the Baltimore Orioles played in Havana.
"He bought a black-and-white TV just to watch it because we couldn't afford to go to that game," Abreu said. "I don't know how my dad did it because we didn't have money."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: Olivo filled in behind the plate for Trevor Brown, who was a late scratch. Brown was hit in the mask by a swing in Monday's game against Oakland and Bochy said Brown was given an extra day to recover.
White Sox: Avisail Garcia (right wrist) served as DH and went 0 for 3. Adam Eaton got the start in right.
UP NEXT
Giants: Matt Cain makes his second spring start against Arizona.
White Sox: John Danks starts against the Padres.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
