Rookie Nieto gets first 'real' hit

CHICAGO -- There was no wait for Adrian Nieto's second career hit Thursday night, when he singled to right field off Danny Salazar in the third inning of a 7-3 victory. The rookie's first hit started as a Mike Moustakas error on April 5 in Kansas City, but was overturned by MLB executive VP Joe Torre, giving Nieto his first hit -- a double.

He kept that baseball but did not get the baseball on Thursday night.

"I felt good not to have to wait if it was a hit or not," Nieto said. "It was a little odd. I talked to one of my summer ball coaches on the way over here today and he goes, 'Only that would happen to you.'

"It's the story of my life. Everything has been a challenge and has been different. But it is what it is and it's already in the books. It's cool."

Nieto has made both his starts with John Danks on the mound and caught Danks extensively during Spring Training. He thoroughly enjoys working with the energy and competitiveness coming from the veteran southpaw, but Nieto also hopes to give Tyler Flowers an occasional break with other pitchers.

"You know, with the bullpen, I feel more comfortable because on the days I'm not playing, I go down there and I catch them," Nieto said. "It's just like I said, it's repetition.

"The more I get in there and stuff like that, the more comfortable I start getting, and the more it becomes like it's a normal thing. Get in there little by little."