SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) -Vicente Padilla got some help from the Texas defense to face the minimum 12 batters over four innings and rebounded from his poor first spring start in the Rangers' 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

Padilla allowed a single and walked one in a crisp outing. Last weekend, Padilla faced 12 batters in two innings and allowed four runs.

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``I felt a lot more confident this time around. I felt more comfortable on the mound,' Padilla said through a translator. ``It was the first time out the last outing and I was a little bit off.'

White Sox left-hander Clayton Richard also pitched four shutout innings. But his chances of being in the rotation decreased because right-handers Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon both threw 55 pitches in a bullpen session, another step toward being ready for the season.

Contreras and Colon are scheduled to throw batting practice Monday and without setbacks could pitch in a Cactus League game within a week.

``It was a very positive day,' pitching coach Don Cooper said. ``We're more and more excited about their chances to be ready to open the season.'

If Contreras and Colon are ready for opening day, that could fill out the White Sox rotation behind Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd. That would send Richard and Jeff Marquez to the bullpen or Triple-A.

``I don't worry about it. It's out of my control,' said Richard, who started eight of his 13 games last season. ``The only thing to control is our outings on the mound and try not to worry about what they are doing with their progress.'

David Murphy homered off Chicago's Mike MacDougal, and Josh Hamilton also drove in a run in the fifth on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

Dustin Nippert allowed singles to the first two batters he faced after replacing Padilla, but benefited from a double play and pitched two shutout innings for the victory.

Ben Broussard's sacrifice fly in the ninth accounted for the only Chicago run.

Padilla was so effective that even with one inning more than he was scheduled to throw he still came up about 10 pitches short of the 50-60 the Rangers planned.

``His tempo was high. He threw the ball over the plate and he did more with less,' manager Ron Washington said. ``Keep the ball in play, good things happen. ... You want good pitching and defense, and that's what we did.'

Notes: SS Brett Lillibridge was scratched from the White Sox lineup because of flulike symptoms. ... Texas LHP C.J. Wilson, who left Thursday's game with a swollen left index finger, threw a bullpen session Saturday morning without any problems. ... A.J. Pierzynski went 2-for-2 for Chicago and is hitting .538 (7-for-13). ... Rangers non-roster invitee Andruw Jones was 2-for-4 for the second straight game.