U.S. team plays to tie with White Sox

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The U.S. team played the Chicago White Sox to a draw on Tuesday.

The afternoon probably felt like a loss.

In its first of two exhibition games before the World Baseball Classic, manager Joe Torre’s team fell into a four-run hole through five innings, and needed three RBIs by Giancarlo Stanton and a run-scoring triple by David Wright to forge a 4-4 tie in a game called after nine innings.

But the game itself proved to be almost secondary to what happened before it, when Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira strained his right forearm and had to pull out of the tournament.

“He had gone into the cage to hit off the tee. I think he took about three or four, just light swings as he was starting to get loose,” Torre said afterward. “It was just a freak thing.”

X-rays were negative, and Teixeira was headed back to New York City, where the Yankees said he will be evaluated Wednesday by team Dr. Christopher Ahmad and Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser.

His loss leaves the U.S. team scrambling for another first baseman, and Torre said he wasn’t sure whether a replacement will be on hand for an exhibition game today against Colorado. The U.S. opens the Pool D play Friday night against Mexico.

“We’re just taking names,” Torre said. “But again, Tex was a switch hitter, which was ideal for us, and left-handed wise, we have a couple switch hitters and (Joe) Mauer. Otherwise, we’re pretty lopsided right-handed. So we’re going to have to see what’s the best bet for us.”