Saddled with 20 pounds of ice wrapped in gauze, Zach Putnam's right arm, from shoulder to elbow, had the makings of a mummy late Saturday.
"It's a heavy load," Putnam said after tossing 24 pitches in two scoreless innings during the White Sox's 6-2 victory against the Twins. "I'm going to wear it a few extra minutes. It feels great."
Putnam and his bullpen mates _ Nate Jones, Dan Jennings, Tommy Kahnle and Michael Ynoa _ have been carrying quite the load. Putnam struck out three that night and continued a stretch of dominance for Sox relievers, who didn't allow a run in the first four games for the first time since 1983.
Until Jones surrendered a two-run home run to Miguel Sano with two out in the eighth inning of a 4-1 defeat Sunday, the five had combined to allow no runs in 14 2/3 innings.
They struck out 14 and allowed seven hits during that span, which didn't include an appearance from closer David Robertson, who made his season debut in the ninth Sunday, or Anthony Swarzak.
Putnam and Kahnle agreed the early success has been contagious.
"The same way you might say hitting is contagious," Putnam said. "You see guys in the order having good at-bats, banging the ball, it gives you confidence going into your at-bats.
"It's the same way with pitchers, particularly bullpen guys. ... As one goes, so go the rest, to a certain extent."
But all 0.00 ERAs must come to an end. This one met its end Sunday, thanks to Sano.
Jones hadn't allowed a run in 11 1/3 innings dating to last season, not that he likely noticed.
"A lot of guys won't look at numbers," Kahnle said. "We just pitch."
And they have done it, mostly, the way they've been instructed by pitching coach Don Cooper, who during spring training told the group to attack the strike zone and not fear contact.
"They've just been trying to get outs," manager Rick Renteria said. "We talked a little bit about that in the spring _ not necessarily about how many innings, but making sure they do the best they can to generate outs.
"They've been putting a lot of balls in play; we've been able to defend."
Putnam, who had surgery in August to remove bone fragments from his right arm, has picked up where he left off June 20, his last appearance of the year.
He has a 0.81 ERA in 22 innings over his last 19 games, 18 of which he has held the opponent without a run.
"I don't think anybody is surprised (by the bullpen's start)," he said. "We've got a talented group of guys. Everybody's settled into their role. There's a level of comfort with having five or six of the same guys we've had. ... Camaraderie is a good thing."
The bullpen has been without right-hander Jake Petricka since the second game.
After pitching a scoreless inning in the opener, Petricka, who pitched in just nine games in 2016 before surgery in June to fix a torn labrum in his right hip, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained muscle on the right side of his back. Renteria said Sunday that Petricka will be re-evaluated in 10 days.
In his absence, the other relievers will continue to carry the load, trying to put games on ice.
