Major League Baseball
Rockies 3, White Sox 1
Major League Baseball

Rockies 3, White Sox 1

Published Apr. 1, 2012 1:04 a.m. ET

The Chicago White Sox moved closer to regular season form Saturday.

John Danks was sharp in his final outing before starting on opening day, pitching six innings for the White Sox on Saturday in a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

Danks allowed one run and three hits, walking none and striking out two while throwing 69 pitches. He will pitch Friday at Texas.

''You like to have a good one going into the season,'' Danks said. ''It was a definitely a goal to finish on a good note.''

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Rockies starter Drew Pomeranz threw six scoreless innings. He gave up four hits, struck out two and walked one. Pomeranz will join the Rockies' rotation as their fifth starter April 15.

Pomeranz will start April 10 in the minors after being optioned to Triple-A on Friday. The Rockies only need a four-man rotation at the outset because they have an off day on the day Pomeranz will pitch in the minors.

Pomeranz has come back from a glute injury this spring. He threw 81 pitches.

''It was a little tight, but obviously nothing that was affecting me,'' he said. ''I was just trying to get ahead of hitters.''

Adam Dunn hit his fifth spring home run, connecting in the ninth for the White Sox against Matt Reynolds.

Wil Nieves homered for the Rockies.

Earlier in the day, the White Sox made moves to reach a 25-man roster. Infielder Eduardo Escobar won the final bench job and right-handers Nate Jones and Zach Stewart claimed the final two spots in the bullpen.

Escobar hit .373 this spring. He batted .286 in nine games with the White Sox last season in his first stint in the majors.

''From seeing him last year to seeing what he's done this year, he's been great as far as maturing, getting stronger, doing a lot of different things,'' White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. ''He plays a lot of different positions.''

Jones had a 1.69 ERA. He has yet to pitch in the majors.

Stewart had a 3.72 ERA. He went 2-5 with a 6.22 ERA in 50 2-3 innings with the White Sox last season.

''I told them from Day One I'm going to come in and throw strikes, and I tried to prove that as much as I could this spring,'' Jones said. ''Whatever my role is I'll accept it and embrace it and do whatever they ask me.''

NOTES: The White Sox optioned RHP Dylan Axelrod to Triple-A Charlotte and reassigned RHP Brian Bruney, C Hector Gimenez, INF Rey Olmedo and LHPs Leyson Septimo and Eric Stults to minor league camp. ... The White Sox signed OF Conor Jackson to a minor league deal. The Texas Rangers released him this spring. He has hit .271 in 658 major league games with Arizona, Oakland and Boston. ... White Sox 3B Brent Morel was back in the lineup after experiencing back stiffness Friday. ... The Rockies could wait until Wednesday to make their final roster decisions. They have yet to decide on one or two bench players and a couple relievers. ... The Rockies will face their former teammate and starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez when they play the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.

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