By Paul Newberry
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Gavin Floyd and Tommy Hanson look ready for the real games.
Hanson, one of baseball’s most promising pitchers, threw four solid innings for Atlanta in his final tuneup of the spring. Floyd was even better, working four scoreless innings as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Braves 7-2 in an exhibition game Friday night.
The 23-year-old Hanson allowed a first-inning run and wrapped up the spring with a 2.45 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings, furthering bolstering the promise he showed in going 11-4 as a rookie. The right-hander is a big part of a strong Braves rotation that also includes opening-day starter Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens and Tim Hudson.
Floyd shut down the Braves on four hits. He had one ugly start in five official spring appearances; otherwise, the right-hander surrendered only three earned runs in 16 innings.
In 2008, Floyd went 17-8 in his first full season with the White Sox. He slipped to 11-11 a year ago but is in a similar position as Hanson. The White Sox also are counting heavily on starting pitching, led by Jake Peavy and Mark Buehrle but with two other promising options in Floyd and 13-game winner John Danks.
Paul Konerko drove in the lone Chicago run off Hanson with a two-out single to left field in the first inning. Only one other runner got as far as second base off the Atlanta starter.
The White Sox broke it open after Kris Medlen came in to pitch in the fifth. Gordon Beckham’s bases-loaded single drove in two runs, and Carlos Quentin made it 4-0 with a hit for the first of his two RBIs.
Brian McCann set up with the lone Atlanta run with a ground-rule double off Matt Thornton in the sixth. Troy Glaus followed with an RBI single.
Braves closer Billy Wagner had a rough ninth, hitting two batters and giving up two runs. Former Braves star Andruw Jones brought home one with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right-center.
The teams will meet again in their final exhibition game today. Both teams open at home Monday: Atlanta against Chicago’s other team, the Cubs, and the White Sox host Cleveland.
Braves center fielder Nate McLouth was a late scratch because of a strained right hamstring. He was replaced by Melky Cabrera.
The Braves announced the final additions to their 25-man roster before the game. Left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes and righty Jesse Chavez claimed the last two spots in the bullpen, while Brooks Conrad beat out Joe Thurston for a utility infielder role.