GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana was hit in the shin by a line drive Saturday and removed from Chicago’s 6-4 loss to an Arizona Diamondbacks split squad after just two batters.
The left-hander gave up a leadoff single to A.J. Pollock, then Gerardo Parra lined one off Quintana’s left leg. The White Sox said Quintana was diagnosed with a bruised shin and is day to day. The left-hander, who is being counted on in the rotation after throwing 200 innings last season, walked off the field and said he expects to be OK after a day or two. His next spring start would be Thursday.
“It’s not broken,” Quintana said. “I feel a little bit of pain, but it’s normal.”
Pollock later homered and Brandon McCarthy went five innings for the Diamondbacks, giving up two runs and six hits.
Tuffy Gosewisch’s two-run double in the ninth off Deunte Heath broke a 4-all tie. Gosewisch, a catcher, was playing in his first game for the Diamondbacks since injuring a calf a week ago.
Pollock and Parra were the only regulars in the lineup for the Diamondbacks’ split squad, which was managed by coach Alan Trammell. Andy Marte drove in two runs with a double in the first inning for Arizona.
Two Chicago relief pitchers, Nate Jones and Scott Downs, made their first appearances of the spring. Ronald Belisario, another reliever, arrived in camp after visa issues in Venezuela.
STARTING TIME
Diamondbacks: McCarthy made his third start after two strong outings in which he gave up just one run in nine combined innings. Trammell said before the game that the idea was to continue building him up for the season.
McCarthy allowed two runs in the third, but otherwise had another good outing.
“Not as sharp as my first couple times out, but I was able to get some rhythm back (in the last inning),” McCarthy said. “Overall, it was good.”
Carlos Sanchez and Alejandro De Aza drove in runs for the White Sox before McCarthy escaped the four-hit third inning.
“There wasn’t too much going wrong. Just a couple balls that got through,” the right-hander said. “It’s good from the mental standpoint to catch a game that’s spiraling, and put it back where you want it and get back in the driver’s seat.”
White Sox: Andre Rienzo relieved Quintana and went three innings, allowing two hits and one run. He struck out five.
“We weren’t going to let him go any more,” manager Robin Ventura said of Quintana. “It got him pretty good. We’ll see how it looks in the next couple days. He wanted to keep pitching. He’s a tough kid. But we got a long way to go. We want to make sure it’s right.”
Ventura added that Rienzo had perhaps his best outing since he first came up with the White Sox last season.
BELISARIO AND THE BULLPEN
The White Sox’s bullpen picture gained some focus, beginning with the long-delayed arrival of Belisario.
“I’m ready to go,” the right-hander said. “I’m happy to be here. Finally made it.”
Belisario, 30, said he had been throwing off a mound in Venezuela to get ready for the season. But he was unable to leave the country, where protests against the government have led to a series of deadly clashes with security forces.
“It’s pretty bad right now,” Belisario said. “By the time that I got my (visa) appointment, there was a problem there. The embassy was closed for like a week, so, I have to wait.”
Belisario threw a bullpen session before Saturday’s game, and Chicago pitching coach Don Cooper liked what he saw.
“He definitely was throwing down there (in Venezuela),” Cooper said, adding that his pitches have “life, movement and sink. I’m excited; it’s just good all around that he’s here.”
Jones, part of the mix in the Chicago closer competition, made his spring debut for Chicago, pitching the fourth inning. Shelley Duncan led off with a double and Marte walked, but the hard-throwing righty got a strikeout and a double-play grounder.
Downs also made his first appearance in a spring game for the White Sox. The free-agent addition gave up the homer to Pollock in the fifth inning.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.