PHOENIX -- Bartolo Colon took a big step toward making the Chicago White Sox starting rotation Wednesday, pitching two-hit ball into the fifth inning of a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics.
Colon, coming back from offseason elbow surgery, struck out four in 4 1/3 innings and did not walk a batter. He threw 33 of 43 pitches for strikes.
"I was excited with what I saw today," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He definitely threw very well."
More importantly Guillen said, "The ball was around the plate. I don't care how hard you throw if you move the ball around the plate, you're going to have success."
Guillen said he's not worried about Colon's low pitch count -- yet.
"I worry about innings and zeroes," he said, but acknowledged Colon will have to get stronger before the White Sox can count on him in the rotation.
Also for the White Sox, Jose Contreras gave up four runs -- three earned -- in four innings, while striking out three and walking one.
Contreras is coming back from a ruptured Achilles' tendon. He originally wasn't expected back until midseason.
"A good outing for Jose," Guillen judged. "A good day for both guys."
Of the two, "Bartolo was a little sharper," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "Bartolo was pinpoint. He threw the fastball right where he needed it. He has to move it in and out, up and down."
Brett Anderson, a contender for a spot in the A's rotation, gave up two runs in 4 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks.
Anderson gave up a double to Jermaine Dye on an inside fastball, then another double to Jim Thome on a slider.
"Those guys are obviously advanced," Anderson said. "It's fun facing those guys. Those are pitches I wouldn't take back or second guess -- just good pieces of hitting."
Anderson said his slider was "better today than it was previously. I had better control of it down and in to righties than I had previously."
As manager Bob Geren praised Anderson.
"When he got into a little bit of trouble, he minimized the damage and got out of it," he said.
Wilson Betemit and Jim Thome hit consecutive homers in the eighth to put the White Sox up 5-3.
Notes
The White Sox assigned promising infielder Gordon Beckham to the minor league camp. His chances of making the big league roster disappeared when the Sox named Chris Getz the starting second baseman. Also assigned to the minor league camp were pitcher Aaron Poreda and infielders Ben Broussard and Eider Torres. The Sox also optioned pitchers Adam Russell and Ehren Wassermann to Triple-A Charlotte. ... Geren said he's "anxious" to put all his regulars on the field Friday night, at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, vs. San Diego. "We really haven't put our whole team on the field at once. It would be nice to see that in the next week or so," he said. ... The A's Jack Cust went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Bobby Crosby went 2-for-2.
