SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Here are four takeaways from White Sox 4-2 Cactus League win over the Rockies on Sunday.

Hendriks feels free pass pain
When is getting hit with a comebacker, featuring a 111.5 mph exit velocity not the most painful moment of a pitcher’s outing? For White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, the answer was walking three around that hard-hit C.J. Cron grounder during a 32-pitch scoreless third inning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

“I got ahead fine and then couldn't put them away,” Hendriks said following his outing. “It's a mentality thing that creeps up every now and then that we're working to get back and get that little streak of confidence back, especially with two strikes.”

Hendriks walked a total of six unintentionally over 71 innings pitched last season against 113 strikeouts, helping to contribute to American League Reliever of the Year honors. Spring Training numbers don’t often matter, with pitchers typically working on specific things during each outing, but Hendriks wasn’t making any excuses.

“That's just a cop out for me,” Hendriks remarked. “You go out there with every intention to be successful, even if it's a practice game or a Spring Training game. So, these ones, it was a bunch of unexecuted pitches.

“It's not just one unexecuted one that ended up as a walk. There were several in there, and that was the problem today. I got guys set up perfectly and then didn't execute the right one. It was just a whole lot of getting ahead but not being able to finish the guy off, and that's something I've prided myself on the last few years.”

The comebacker didn’t do damage to Hendriks, who tried to wave off pitching coach Ethan Katz and head athletic trainer James Kruk from coming to check him. Once they got to the mound, Hendriks basically told them to go back to the dugout.

Velasquez puts up zeros
Vince Velasquez, one of the White Sox free agent additions since the end of the lockout, threw two scoreless innings and struck out one in his start. Colorado loaded the bases against Velasquez with nobody out in the second, but he emerged unscathed from the jam.

The veteran hurler, who will be stretched out during Spring Training along with Reynaldo López behind the starting rotation, has enjoyed his first week working with Katz.

“To be honest, [he] kind of simplified a lot of stuff,” Velasquez said. “A lot of the weapons that I had are there, just a matter of incorporating it and when to utilize it. Having that conviction has always been there, it’s just [a] matter of executing. It’s always been execution. It’s just a matter of applying it now.

“I think the stuff that I have incorporated with my backside and just trying to recreate different mechanics to synch up everything with my lower half to my upper half and timing everything. … I create a lot of leverage going down the mound, I’m very whippy, very athletic. It’s just a matter of utilizing my athleticism and finding the consistency, and [Katz] does a good job of doing that and finding those areas.”

Pitching probables for Tuesday
Lucas Giolito will throw three innings on Tuesday at Milwaukee’s ballpark in Maryvale, Ariz., followed by three innings for Dallas Keuchel. Kendall Graveman and Aaron Bummer will pitch one inning each in relief.

Garrett Crochet and Matt Foster threw scoreless innings behind Velasquez and Hendriks against the Rockies.

Mercedes facing a roster crunch
Yermín Mercedes was in favor of trying left field defensively during Spring Training when given the option by manager Tony La Russa.

“I like that because I can play more positions, more chances to play, more chances to be in the lineup,” Mercedes said. “When Tony talked to me, I said, 'Yes, yes, I can do it.' So, we practice every day. We know what's going to happen.”

That move to left field also meant a move away from catching for Mercedes, meaning he has a tougher chance to break camp with the team. Mercedes certainly can hit and could be used at designated hitter, but La Russa wants to rotate players through that spot with an example of keeping Yasmani Grandal’s bat in play if he’s not catching as he explained Sunday. As a result, it puts Mercedes in a roster predicament.

“He’s in a tough spot here,” La Russa said. “Just go out there and work because a chance something will break for him.”