Hendriks back in form after overcoming painful ailment
Reliever Liam Hendriks made a painless return to the mound Friday after an agonizing encounter with kidney stones.
If there was any pain Friday, it was felt by the three Brewers batters who struck out in the sixth inning of the Sox's 7-5 win.
Following the game, Hendriks reflected on his recent internal struggles.
Describing the pain as excruciating, he said, "If anyone is thinking about having kidney stones, I'd highly recommend against it."
He said he began suffering symptoms last Friday night or Saturday morning. The pain became so severe, he had to visit the emergency room.
"Luckily, it wasn't an extended period of time," he said, adding that it was especially tough on his wife, who "is a light sleeper at the best of times."
He said he has had to make some adjustments to his intake.
"If I have a Dr Pepper, I need to make sure I chase it with water.
"But I think it comes down to the fact I drink a lot of coffee and I eat a lot of animal proteins and then I tend to, for hydration, (drink) more of the carbonated waters.
"So whatever I have that's not water, I chase it with a water just to make sure that this doesn't crop up again."
Zack attack: Zack Collins showed flashes of power in back-to-back games, with a home run Thursday against Cincinnati and another Friday against Milwaukee.
"I haven't changed much physically with stance or anything like that," Collins said. "I am being way more aggressive this spring," resulting in "a lot less strikeouts."
Vaughn happy with left field debut: Although he didn't see many balls come his way in left field Friday, Andrew Vaughn appeared at ease in the position thrust upon him with the absence of Eloy Jimenez.
It helped that he had Gold Glove center fielder Luis Robert to his left.
"If the ball gets hit out there to my left, I kind of know he's got it, so I know I've got to cover the line and just catch it. That was the main goal, just catch it if it's in the air and throw it to the right base if it's on the ground."
He said, "I told (Robert), 'Don't run me over,' because he is a giant human, and I told him, 'Hey, if you say you got it, you got it. I'm going to give it to you. But if it's to my right, I'm going to get it. If it's three steps or more to my left, I think you got it.'"
Vaughn said he has prior experience playing in the outfield on the 15U National Team. He was the left fielder on the 2013 USA Baseball 15U National Team that won a gold medal at the COPABE Pan American Championships in Barranquilla, Colombia.
He also said working out at the position in Schaumburg last year helped out, giving him a better idea of how the ball spins and carries, he said.