Sox's Konerko takes a knee

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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.

“I know once I can get a splint on, once they can O.K. me for activity, it’ll be a few days because the wound has to heal. I’m hoping two weeks, we check it out, three, we’ll check it out again, just to see where it’s at. I’ll be looking forward to that.”

Guillen isn’t as optimistic. He doubts Quentin will be ready before the playoffs.

“I don’t want to be negative ... but I’ve got to be honest,” he said. “I don’t think ... I mean, I don’t care how quick you heal, I don’t think it’s going to heal in 20 games.

Utility infielder Chris Getz’s rookie season ended abruptly Monday when x-rays of his ailing left wrist revealed multiple hairline fractures.

• Cubs aces flying again: While the Sox have had their injury woes, the Cubs were hopeful to regain the services of their two wounded aces this week.

If all goes right, Rich Harden, who missed one start with discomfort in his arm, will take the mound at Busch Stadium Thursday night in St. Louis. He is 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA since the Cubs acquired him July 8 from Oakland.

Zambrano, 13-5 with a 3.58 ERA, is scheduled to go Saturday after missing one turn. Big Z missed his last start with shoulder inflammation and rotator cuff tendinitis.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Tuesday their absences had a lot to do with the Cubs’ 1-7 slide entering this week’s series in St. Louis.

For more on Cubs and Sox, visit nhwherald.com/baseball.