Parker Strikes Out 5, A's Tie White Sox In Cactus League
PHOENIX (CBS / AP) -- Oakland A's right-hander Jarrod Parker and Chicago White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana made progress toward the 2013 regular season with solid starts Friday night in a 4-4 tie after nine innings at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Paul Konerko's two-out, two-run single off Pedro Figueroa in the ninth inning pulled the White Sox even.
Parker, who had struggled in his two previous starts, gave up two runs on three hits, walked two and struck out five in six innings.
Quintana pitched 5 2-3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits while walking three and striking out nine.
After going 13-8 in 29 starts for Oakland as a rookie in 2012, Parker was looking for more consistency entering 2013. He might finally have found some, with one start left before the season begins.
"It was good to have a night game," Parker said. "It was a little more like the regular season, and lets you get into a routine situation since we have more night games, the preparation."
He threw 76 pitches during the game and brought his night's total to 90 with some more work in the bullpen.
"My mindset was better overall," Parker said. "I threw my pitches for strikes, my curveballs for strikes. They (White Sox) are an aggressive team."
Quintana was 6-6 in 25 games (22 starts) last season with a 3.76 ERA.
He looked sharp early on, then started to tire a bit as the A's began their rally.
"I felt really good and felt like the fastball was working really good today," the 24-year-old Colombian said. "It was running good, especially the two-seamer to my arm side.
"I feel like I'm ready for the season and prepared at this point."
Chicago took a 2-0 lead by scoring twice in the fifth on a run-scoring infield hit by Tyler Flowers and a single to right by Gordon Beckham.
Quintana set the A's down in order in the fifth, but wasn't as fortunate in the sixth.
He walked Scott Sizemore with one out and gave up a run-scoring double to Yoenis Cespedes with two outs. Reliever Ramon Troncoso came on and walked Chris Young and gave up back-to-back run-scoring hits to Derek Norris and Brandon Moss. Norris scored the fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch by Troncoso.
NOTES: Oakland RF Josh Reddick left the game after the second inning with a twisted ankle apparently sustained while fielding a fly ball. He was replaced by Shane Peterson. Reddick will be re-evaluated on Saturday. ... A's RHP Pat Neshek pitched the ninth inning and gave up a pair of hits, but has not allowed a run in his eight appearances (eight innings). ... Konerko finished with two hits and a walk and narrowly missed hitting his sixth homer of the spring in the seventh inning, settling for a double off the fence in left. ... RHP Jake Peavy is scheduled to make his second start of the spring for Chicago on Saturday against the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz.
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