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Rienzo pressed into early duty vs. D-backs

After Quintana's injury, right-hander fans five over three innings

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Andre Rienzo was scheduled to pitch for the White Sox during Saturday's 6-4 loss to the D-backs at Camelback Ranch.

He just didn't realize how quickly the team would need him.

Starting pitcher Jose Quintana exited after two batters when he took a Gerardo Parra line drive off his left shin. Rienzo allowed both of those runners to score but settled down to give up just one run over three innings, also coming in the first, but striking out five. Rienzo struck out the side in the second, fanning Henry Blanco, Justin Greene and A.J. Pollock.

"Stuff like that happens and a guy like Rienzo comes in and that's probably as good as I've seen him since he first came up," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "So it was. An opportunity arises for a guy to get in there and throw quite a few innings, and he looked good."

While the White Sox were dealing with an injury to their starter, Brandon McCarthy pitched well for five innings against his former team. The right-hander yielded two runs on six hits, striking out two and not issuing a walk.

Both of those runs and four of those hits came in the third, when Jordan Danks and Tyler Flowers singled, Carlos Sanchez doubled and Alejandro De Aza singled to score two without an out. A double play where Conor Gillaspie struck out swinging and Sanchez was thrown out at the plate on the back end of a double steal helped McCarthy escape further damage.

"Not as sharp as my first couple times out, but I was able to get some rhythm back [in the last inning]. Overall it was good. Just a spring day," said McCarthy. "Everybody knows what I do; there's no creating new things. It's just emphasizing getting my rhythm, getting my command there, making sure my delivery's where I want it to be and then the results should follow."

The White Sox got to J.J. Putz, another former White Sox hurler, in the sixth inning for two runs after Putz retired the first two hitters. Avisail Garcia followed with a standup triple to right-center, Paul Konerko walked and Alexei Ramirez singled to score Garcia. Danks lined a single to left and Konerko beat the throw home to tie the game.

Arizona scored its three in the first on Chris Owings' run-scoring single and a two-run double from Andy Marte. The D-backs added another in the fifth off reliever Scott Downs, who was making his White Sox Cactus League debut. Downs allowed a solo homer to Pollock.

The D-backs took the lead in the ninth off Deunte Heath, who allowed back-to-back singles before Tuffy Gosewisch doubled home both runners.

Up next: Erik Johnson completes the White Sox second time through the Cactus League rotation Sunday in a 3:05 p.m. CT first pitch against Oakland in Phoenix. This contest starts a stretch of four road games in five days for the White Sox and also will feature promising young hurlers Jake Petricka and Cody Winiarski.

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin.
Read More: Chicago White Sox, Jordan Danks, Jose Quintana, Carlos Sanchez, Alexei Ramirez, Alejandro De Aza, Andre Rienzo