Sox's Konerko takes a knee

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox were angry after dropping the first game of a doubleheader, 3-1, to Toronto.

After losing the second, 8-2, they were worried about the health of their captain and first baseman Paul Konerko.

When Alex Rios hit a run-scoring single in the Blue Jays’ half of the fifth, Konerko cut off Jermaine Dye’s throw toward the plate and his knee buckled as he released a throw toward second.

Konerko was helped off the field in the top of the fifth inning of the nightcap with what the team called a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. X-rays were negative, team officials said.

“I felt that knee cave inward and kind of click in there, a couple clicks further than it probably should go,” Konerko said. “It put me down right away. It scared me more than anything. It hurt, but the pain went away. That scared me more because you hear people say it doesn’t hurt when you blow something out.”

• Quentin update: A day after wrist surgery, left fielder Carlos Quentin, speaking in the Sox clubhouse Tuesday morning, said he was exploring alternative healing options.

The Sox’s left fielder wants to return to the lineup as soon as possible.

“Nothing crazy, just anything you can think of,” he said.

Quentin said his surgery, which he called “pretty standard,” went great.

“I’ll get out of this [cast] in a couple days and start rehabbing it,” he said.

He said he opted for surgery because an internal splint allowed the bone to fuse faster.

“This was the best we all felt to give me a chance to get back,” he said.

Now he’s looking to push up his timetable even more. Quentin mentioned eating healthier, taking supplements, different treatment and “hyperbaric-type stuff.”

“I’m trying to explore everything I can,” he said. “I’m sure it’s not the first time an athlete has tried to figure out as many ways as possible to heal, but I’ll exhaust them all and see if my body responds well. Hopefully I’ll swing a bat as soon as possible.