GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jake Peavy knows that skeptics cite his struggles against hitters the third time through a batting order. Tuesday, Peavy had an answer for the doubters, as well as for the White Sox.
In the Giants' 8-7 loss, Peavy struck out a pair of formidable hitters, Adam Eaton and Jose Abreu, to highlight his final inning. Peavy scolded himself after yielding four runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings -- "That's not going to be OK in the season," he said -- but he expressed satisfaction over his eight strikeouts. That included retiring Eaton and Abreu on swinging strikes in their third plate appearances.
Peavy acknowleged that he has addressed this issue.
"That's stuff that we've been working on, and it's encouraging," he said, then proceeded to cite the factors that have helped him. "Making better pitches, concentration level, and trying to get strong enough to hold your stuff throughout."
Peavy took pleasure in the fact that his final strikeout victims were Eaton, Chicago's leadoff batter, and Abreu, who's probably the most formidable White Sox hitter.
"It's exciting when you get a couple of strikeouts on different pitches," he said. "Swings and misses, so stuff's getting better."
Worth noting
Catchers Trevor Brown and Andrew Susac kept busy despite their injuries. Brown (left wrist) took batting practice, while Susac (right wrist) caught several innings in a Minor League intrasquad game.