White Sox' Carlos Rodon up for challenge of starting to the finish

BOSTON – If the White Sox are playing well enough to be playing meaningful games in September, rookie Carlos Rodon expects to be part of it all the way to the finish line.

“I feel like I can accomplish that,’’ Rodon said Wednesday. “Just keep doing what I’m doing. Physically I feel capable of taking on that challenge.’’

The Sox’ first-round pick in the 2014 draft (third overall) pitched 10 innings at AAA Charlotte to start the season, and then out of the bullpen when the Sox called him up two weeks into the season. He made four starts in May, five in June and will make his fifth of July against the Yankees Friday at U.S. Cellular Field. Rodon (77 innings) is on target for about 11 more starts, which could bring his innings total for the season to around 140-150, a reasonable number for the 22-year-old rookie whose workload has been monitored from the get-go. He has had rests of eight, nine and 10 days before three of his starts.

“You watch him but when he started throwing that was the idea that he would be able to finish it out,’’ Ventura said last week. “We’ll go from there. You’re careful of his innings in his first year but that’s why he started out in the bullpen. You conserve that and right now we’re kind of letting him go.’’

With 13 starts, Rodon (4-3, 4.09 ERA) is feeling less like a rookie with each outing.

“You could say that,’’ he said. “All nine guys are the same, no one has more time [in the game] than anyone because anybody can get anybody out and anyone can hit anyone.’’

Bonifacio goes on DL, Garcia recalled

Infielder Emilio Bonifacio was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain and infielder Leury Garcia was recalled from AAA Charlotte.

Bonifacio, who is hitting .169 in 45 games, injured himself Tuesday night. As the designated hitter, Bonifacio doubled in his first at-bat and suffered the injury when he swung on a ground out his second time up.

Garcia, 24, is hitting .296 with 15 doubles, one triple, one home run, 24 RBI and 28 stolen bases over 75 games at Charlotte. He came up to the Sox last week while Bonifacio was on the Bereavement List for two days.

“When Leury came to Cleveland we liked what we saw and we got him in there,’’ Ventura said. “He looks really good at the plate, he can play all over, has played some center field, we know he can play the infield and we can get him in the outfield if we need to.

This and that

Adam Eaton hit his fourth leadoff homer Wednesday, lofting a fly ball against Rick Porcello inside the Pesky Pole. It was the ninth homer of the season for the 5-8 Eaton, tying him with Adam LaRoche for second on the team with nine.

*Melky Cabrera singled in each of the first two innings, extending his streak of consecutive games with two or more hits to seven. It’s the longest streak by a White Sox since Magglio Ordonez in 2003 (eight).

*Adam LaRoche, back in the lineup after two days off (he was hitting .122 in the last 14 games) singled off the Green Monster with Cabrera on first in the first inning. Cabrera scored on an error by second baseman Brock Holt, giving the Sox a 2-0 lead. The Sox have scored four, five and two runs in the first innings of the series in Boston.

*Second baseman Carlos Sanchez doubled in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.