Sox tie for the 2nd straight day - New York News | NYC Breaking News

By RICK EYMER
Associated Press

   SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Madison Bumgarner is no fan of the twist, a minor flaw in his windup that eventually got worse before it started getting better.
 
   Bumgarner threw two scoreless innings in his first outing since the second game of the World Series, postseason hero Marco Scutaro had two hits and drove in a run and the San Francisco Giants played the Chicago White Sox to a 9-9 tie Monday.
 
   Paul Konerko had two hits for the White Sox, who played to a tie for the second straight day. Hector Santiago allowed three runs on five hits in his two innings.
 
   Bumgarner walked one, struck out one and allowed two hits in an outing he deemed the first step to continued adjustments.
 
   "I didn't plan it," Bumgarner said of his motion. "I just started twisting around until I looked like Hideo Nomo."
 
   Giants catcher Buster Posey said it was never that bad, and it could lead to other positive adjustments.
 
   "It looked like he was not twisting as much," said the reigning NL MVP. "The goal with that is for consistency to both sides of the plate. I thought he looked good today. I've caught him when he's had a good move to first. Maybe with less of a twist he might get that old move back. He's pretty deceptive to runners when he's right."
 
   Bumgarner noticed he was turning too much toward the end of last season and began to work on it then. By the time he made his World Series start, a two-hitter over seven innings in a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers, he was on the way to recovery.
 
   "It helped being able to contribute," Bumgarner said. "I knew I still had a lot of work to do. I just gradually got off. There were a few other small things I worked on and it will take a while before it feels just right."
 
   He didn't know what to expect until he was back on the mound facing big league hitters in a real game situation.
 
   "I need to control the running game a little more," Bumgarner said. "Last year I was so slow to the plate Buster didn't have much of a chance to throw anybody out."
 
   Santiago, who was impressive during four starts in September and October, said he's not taking anything for granted.
 
   "I came to spring training fighting for a job," Santiago said. "I'm like everybody else here. Nothing is guaranteed to me."
 
   Even should there be no room in the starting rotation, Santiago feels comfortable in whatever role he will be assigned.
 
   "I'm pretty wide," he said. "I can adjust to anything."
 
   He entered the game just wanting to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters. He walked one and struck out one.
 
   "I threw all my pitches and it felt like I threw everything where I wanted," said Santiago, who was 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in four starts last year.
 
   Joaquin Arias, Brett Pill and Cole Gillespie each drove in two runs as the Giants took a 9-0 lead after three innings.
 
   The White Sox got two back in the sixth and tied the game with a seven-run eighth, highlighted by Seth Loman's three-run homer.
 
   NOTES: Chicago RHP Nestor Molina makes the start at the Rangers on Tuesday. He appeared briefly with Triple-A Charlotte, starting one game. ... The Giants send RHP Tim Lincecum, with his new haircut, to the mound at the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... The Giants had a triple (Hunter Pence), double (Gillespie) and single (Andres Torres) in the second inning. ... Giants RHP Brett Bochy, the son of manager Bruce Bochy, got a blown save after giving up five runs in 2/3 innings in the eighth. He also allowed two inherited runners to score. ... White Sox LHP Donnie Veal slipped while catching a popped bunt and was in pain afterward. He was removed from the game and walked off under his own power.

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