Sox’ bats have big day in 18-1 rout

GLENDALE, Ariz. — All of a sudden, the White Sox’ lineup broke loose.

Carlos Quentin had 4 hits, including a homer, and drove in 4 runs Friday to power the Sox to an 18-1 rout of the Oakland Athletics.

Quentin singled and doubled twice, but he wasn’t the only White Sox hitter who had a big day. Paul Konerko homered and drove in 3 runs, and Gordon Beckham had 3 hits, 3 RBI and scored 4 runs. Tyler Flowers added a 2-run homer in the eighth.

Konerko and Quentin hit consecutive homers to start the third. The Sox sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth to open a 14-1 cushion.

“Yesterday I had people all over me because we only had 3 hits,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “Then today we score (18) so all of a sudden they say, ‘Save it for the season.’”

The White Sox jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first on two-out RBI singles by Konerko, Quentin and Alexei Ramirez. A 3-run homer by Beckham in the second extended it to 6-1.

John Danks pitched 6 solid innings for the Sox, yielding 4 hits and a run while striking out four. But the most important statistic was the number in the walk column: zero.

“This is the biggest step toward being ready, results-wise,” he said. “I threw all four pitches for strikes.”

The left-hander had walked eight batters through his first 10 innings in Cactus League play.

“Hopefully, the pitching we’ve been throwing out there carries over and the offense carries over,” Danks said.

Oakland starter Bobby Cramer gave up 8 runs and 9 hits (including 3 homers) over 3 innings.

Phil Humber pitched 3 hitless innings for a save.

Ÿ White Sox RHP Jake Peavy was in the clubhouse after being absent the previous two days with flu symptoms. Peavy still expects to make his scheduled start today, but Guillen said the team would monitor him very closely.