ROYALS 12, SOX 0
RANGERS 5, SOX 4
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Right-hander Michael Kopech’s third spring outing was a tough one.
Struggling to find a rhythm and pitching ‘‘out of sync,’’ the White Sox’ top pitching prospect allowed five runs, four hits and three walks in 2 1/3 messy innings. He yielded a double and a triple to Whit Merrifield and a home run to former Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler, his fourth of the spring.
‘‘Rough,’’ Kopech said. ‘‘Nothing was going where I wanted it to. I didn’t have much of a feel for any of my pitches.’’
Manager Rick Renteria, who didn’t see Kopech’s performance because he was watching right-hander James Shields in a split-squad game, had hoped to get four innings out of Kopech, who didn’t like much about the way he threw.
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‘‘I couldn’t stay in control of my body,’’ Kopech said. ‘‘I was out of sync; my arm was ahead of my body. I tried to speed things up and started overthrowing, so I never got into a rhythm.’’
Kopech said he threw a get-me-over fastball to Soler that ‘‘was the slowest pitch I’ve thrown since I was 17 years old.’’
Kopech didn’t allow a run in his first two spring outings.
Worth noting
Non-roster invitees Bruce Rondon and Chris Volstad are doing their best to get noticed. Rondon threw a scoreless inning, and Volstad (two perfect innings) hasn’t been scored on in five appearances.
Doubling down
Ryan Cordell, batting .421 as he battles for a spot in the Sox’ outfield, had three doubles and four RBI and Yolmer Sanchez two doubles against the Rangers.
Shields allowed one run in four innings in his first spring start.
On deck
White Sox at Padres, Peoria, Carson Fulmer vs. TBA, 2:05 p.m. Friday.
Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.
Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com
