GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Jose Quintana made it to the 200-inning mark last season. Now the Chicago White Sox lefty wants to add even more to his workload.
The 25-year-old from Colombia made his spring debut on Monday, going three innings in Chicago’s 9-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
“I feel good for the first outing of the year,” Quintana said. “I threw all the pitches. The fastball, curve and changeup were working good. I had two good innings, one inning was a little uncomfortable.”
In the second, Johnny Giavotella had an RBI triple and scored on Jarrod Dyson’s single. But those were the only hits off Quintana, who struck out one and walked two. He posted a 3.51 ERA in 33 starts and exactly 200 innings for the White Sox in 2013.
“He’s strong enough to do it,” Chicago manager Robin Ventura said of Quintana’s desire for more work. “He’s a good enough pitcher and he should be able to do it.”
Andy Wilkins hit a three-run homer for the White Sox, Conor Gillaspie added a two-run double and Hector Gimenez had a tiebreaking double in the sixth.
Jorge Bonifacio homered and drove in three runs for Kansas City.
STARTING TIME
Royals: Jeremy Guthrie gave up four hits and three runs - all on Wilkins’ homer - in two innings in his first spring outing. He set down the White Sox in order in the second and threw 34 pitches in all.
After leaving the game, he even put his own headline on the outing: “Guthrie eases back into spring training shape.”
“If I had given up zero runs it would have been better,” the 35-year-old right-hander said. “I hung a changeup to a hitter that put a good swing on it and hit a three-run homer. One pitch wasn’t executed in the inning. The next inning I probably didn’t execute two or three pitches and got three outs. That’s what happens in baseball.”
SHOW TIME
Wilkins, a 25-year-old first baseman who split time between Double-A and Triple-A last season, got a chance to bat cleanup on Monday. Jose Abreu and Adam Dunn were off.
Dunn was en route back from Sunday’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles. The film “Dallas Buyers Club,” in which Dunn was an investor and had a small role, won three Oscars, including best actor for Matthew McConaughey. Dunn will return to the Chicago lineup for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz.
ROYAL RELIEF
Luke Hochevar also made his first spring outing for Kansas City, pitching two scoreless innings after Guthrie left.
“I felt like it was a lot better than (the intrasquad game last week),” the reliever said. “My tempo and execution were a lot better.”
After struggling as a starter, Hochevar found a home in the Royals’ bullpen last season, with a 1.92 ERA in 70 innings as a setup man for All-Star closer Greg Holland.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: Reliever Matt Lindstrom, who has been out since last Wednesday with a strained oblique, will throw off a mound on Tuesday. The injury isn’t believed to be serious, but as it’s still very early, Lindstrom and the White Sox are taking all precautions.
“I alerted them early so I wouldn’t injure it more extensively,” said Lindstrom, entering his eighth big league season. He said he’d never had an injury of any kind in that area until now.
Second baseman Gordon Beckham was scratched from Monday’s game due to general soreness. “It’s not really a big deal,” he said. … Ventura said he expects Jeff Keppinger, who has missed time with arm issues, to be back in the field by the weekend and will get some at-bats as a DH before then. The manager said Keppinger, who mostly played third last season, might play second base when he returns to the field.
BUTLER AT FIRST
With Eric Hosmer off Monday, Billy Butler got the start at first base for Kansas City. Usually the Royals’ designated hitter, Butler will see more time in the field this season as Royals manager Ned Yost seeks to give Hosmer more rest.
“For us to be a championship team, you can’t run (Hosmer) out there every day,” Butler said. “Your goal is to have Eric fresh in September, give him some breaks in day games.”
Butler began a 3-6-3 double play on a hard-hit ball by Chicago’s speedy Jordan Danks.
“I’ve played it a lot in the past, so I’m comfortable over there,” Butler said. “I got in a little better shape this offseason. I’m moving around a little better.”
Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, who homered twice against the Cubs on Sunday, had a scheduled day off.
CONDOLENCES
David Reinsdorf, son of White Sox and Chicago Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, died Monday at age 51. Services will be private. A moment of silence was observed before Monday’s game.
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