ARLINGTON, Texas, May 9 (UPI) -- ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Joaquin Benoit filled in just
fine for the Texas Rangers.
Joaquin Benoit pitched six strong innings in an emergency start and Hector Ortiz and Frank Catalanotto homered to give the Texas Rangers a
4-1 victory Thursday over the Chicago White White Sox.
Ismael Valdes was scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday due to stiffness in his lower back. Benoit, a 24-year-old righthander, was recalled from Oklahoma of the Pacific Coast League and made the most of the opportunity, allowing just one run and four hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
It was the second major league appearance for Benoit, who made a spot start for the Rangers last August. The native of the Dominican Republic allowed his only run in the second inning on an RBI single by Mark Johnson and retired the last 10 batters he faced.
John Rocker and Rudy Seanez each pitched a scoreless inning and Hideki Irabu worked the ninth for his eighth save as the final 19 White Sox batters went down in order.
Irabu has saves in seven of the Rangers' last 10 wins.
The Rangers did most of their damage off Todd Ritchie (3-3), who allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Ortiz tied the game in the second with his first major league homer, clearing the left-field fence on a 1-1 pitch.
Catalanotto had his first homer since Sept. 1, hitting a 1-1 pitch to right field in the seventh.
