Andruw Jones homers, knocks in 4 runs against former team as White Sox top Dodgers 5-1
By APWednesday, March 17, 2010
Jones homers, has 4 RBI as ChiSox top Dodgers 5-1
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Andruw Jones hit his first spring home run and added four RBI against his former team, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Wednesday.
White Sox starter Jake Peavy pitched five innings, giving up a run on three hits.
Jones crushed a three-run home run to left field in the fifth inning off Ramon Troncoso. He also had an RBI double in the third off Russ Ortiz.
James Loney delivered the only run off Peavy, a solo home run in the second inning, his first of the spring. It was Loney’s first game since returning from a goodwill series in Taiwan.
Manny Ramirez, who went 0 for 2 with a walk, was also playing in his first game since returning from Taiwan.
Loney’s home run is the only run Peavy has given up in eight innings this spring.
“Today was a lot better intensity-wise,” Peavy said. “That’s a big-league lineup … a great lineup. It was a good balance of lefties and righties in there and I was able to throw all my pitches. It was good work and the guys behind me did well.”
Ortiz, in the battle for the No. 5 slot in the Dodgers’ rotation, gave up two runs on six hits in four innings. The veteran right-hander opened the spring with seven scoreless innings before the White Sox scored twice in the third.
“I want to keep building on the way I have been pitching so far,” Ortiz said. “Timing was off today just a little bit and little by little I was trying to get it back while at the same time trying to get out big league hitters.”
Ortiz was trying to keep pace with namesake Ramon Ortiz, who already has pitched nine scoreless innings for the Dodgers this spring.
The Dodgers’ Carlos Monasterios, a Rule 5 pickup from the Phillies, pitched three scoreless innings in relief to also remain in the fifth-starter battle.
“He has a nice presence out there and has a good offspeed pitch,” manager Joe Torre said of Monasterios. “He’s aggressive. I like what I see.”
White Sox relievers Matt Thornton, Tony Pena, Scott Linebrink and Carlos Torres held the Dodgers scoreless over the final four innings, giving up a combined three hits.
White Sox catcher Ramon Castro received a glancing blow off the top of his helmet by an Ortiz pitch in the fourth inning and left the game. He was sent to a local hospital for a CT scan that came back negative.
“He was kind of dizzy when he got (to the hospital),” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “I don’t think we have a doctor to check that big ol’ head good enough. It takes seven MRIs to check it out good. I expect him to be fine.”
NOTES: Dodgers reliever Cory Wade underwent a 55-minute arthroscopic procedure on his shoulder to clean up bursa, cartilage and tendon fraying. He is expected to miss three months. … Dodgers OF Andre Ethier will have his jersey retired Wednesday in a ceremony at his high school alma mater, St. Mary’s in Phoenix. … Torre said right-hander James McDonald is all but finished in the No. 5 starter race and is battling for a bullpen spot. … Clayton Kershaw, Jonathan Broxton and George Sherrill all pitched in minor-league intrasquad games. … The Dodgers optioned OF Trayvon Robinson to minor-league camp. … White Sox relievers Bobby Jenks and J.J. Putz both pitched in simulated games. … The White Sox released RHP Daniel Cabrera (21.00 ERA in three appearances) who pitched previously with Baltimore, Washington and Arizona. They also released OF Jason Botts and optioned top minor-league prospect Dayan Viciedo.