GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jake Peavy was knocked around in his first two appearances of spring training.
He was nearly perfect in his third one.
Peavy threw five hitless innings in his best outing of the spring and the Chicago White Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 5-0 on Saturday.
“It was a good day, got a lot of good work in,” he said. “It’s refreshing to go out there and have good stuff and good command.”
Eduardo Escobar, a candidate for a reserve role, hit a three-run homer off Hong-Chih Kuo to give the White Sox a 4-0 lead in the fifth. Kuo allowed four runs in an inning.
“He does a lot of things you like to see,” manager Robin Ventura said about Escobar. “He can play shortstop, second base, third base, maybe a little outfield. Today, he did a lot of smart baseball stuff. He can steal bases and move guys along. He has good instinct for the game.”
Peavy struck out five and walked one. The right-hander allowed nine runs in 4 1-3 innings in his previous two starts.
“After that last start, people were talking about, ‘I thought you said you felt good.’ I do feel good,” he said. “We’re working on stuff. If I make a bad pitch, I turn around in spring training, I’m throwing the same pitch until I get it.”
Peavy said he’s in a good frame of mind, unlike last season when he was coming back from 2010 surgery to repair the latissimus dorsi muscle in his right shoulder. He has a renewed excitement now that he’s healthy.
“I’ve got too much pride and too much love for the game and a little bit of that was taken from me,” Peavy said. “But I’m healthy and I’m blessed. Today, my ankle didn’t hurt me. I didn’t take a Tylenol.
“It’s so refreshing to be healthy, truly out there with your mind at ease.”
The Mariners finished with two hits.
Seattle pitcher Blake Beavan, a candidate for fifth starter, allowed a run and three hits in four innings. He threw 48 pitches and was able to get fly balls by throwing his changeup.
“The big thing for me is I felt strong and still felt good after the fourth inning, and I think that’s where you want to be at the end of the day,” Beavan said.
Brent Lillibridge and Gordon Beckham each had a double for the White Sox.
NOTES: Seattle optioned OF Trayvon Robinson to the minors, reassigned left-handers Sean Henn and Oliver Perez, and right-handers Matt Fox, Aaron Heilman, Josh Kinney and
Jeff Marquez to minor league camp. … Adam Dunn was back in the White Sox lineup at first base after missing three of the last four games with a stiff neck. Ventura said he likes Dunn’s play at first and would like to see him also play in the outfield this spring. … Ventura said 3B Brent Morel (back stiffness) is expected back in the lineup Sunday. … White Sox closer candidate Jesse Crain (oblique) continues to be day to day. … Both teams wore green hats in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
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