Quintana shuts down Rangers as Sands homers

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Left-hander Jose Quintana cooled off the red-hot Rangers with 4 1/3 strong innings in the White Sox 8-2 victory at Surprise Stadium on Thursday. The loss against the split-squad team snapped the Rangers' three-game winning streak.
Quintana, projected as the White Sox No. 2 starter, was making his first Cactus League start and allowed two runs on four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three. His first spring outing was against the Reds in a "B" game Saturday and he threw 61 pitches against the Rangers. Rangers infielder Drew Robinson hit his first home run of the spring off Quintana.

"I tried to keep the ball down today for the first time on the mound," Quintana said. "I'm happy [about this outing]. I'll try to keep going with this all spring."
Rangers starter Nick Martinez did not fare as well, allowing seven runs in two-plus innings. The White Sox scored five runs off him in the first, a rally that was finished off by outfielder Jerry Sands' three-run home run.

"It didn't go my way the first inning," Martinez said. "I fell behind some hitters and that compounded things. I felt good. I felt cool, calm and collected, but a few pitches got away from me."
Martinez started the game by getting Jacob May to hit a fly ball to left-center, but Ian Desmond and Delino DeShields lost the ball in the sun. That helped extend the inning, and four of the five runs scored after two outs.
Martinez is trying to win the No. 5 starter spot in the Rangers' rotation. A.J. Griffin is also in the competition, and he went two innings in relief on Thursday afternoon. He allowed just one run on a home run by Tyler Saladino while striking out three.

Up next for the White Sox:Carlos Rodon makes his second Spring Training start Friday -- and second start against the Padres -- with a 2:10 p.m. CT first pitch in Peoria on MLB.TV. Rodon faced the Padres on Sunday and threw three scoreless innings while striking out two.
Up next for the Rangers: Left-handed reliever Andrew Faulkner is among the pitchers who will be facing the Brewers at 2:05 p.m. CT on Friday in Maryvale. Faulkner is pushing for a spot in the bullpen and has pitched three scoreless innings so far this spring. Jeremy Guthrie will get the start for the Rangers, and Nick Tepesch will also pitch as he tries to win a spot in the starting rotation. The game can be watched live on MLB.TV or heard exclusively on an MLB.com webcast.