SOX 8, ROCKIES 2

Giolito fans 9 in last tuneup

Aside from encountering some command issues in his last full inning, Lucas Giolito looked locked in and ready for his second Opening Day start Thursday.

Giolito struck out nine in

5 ²/³ scoreless innings, walked three and allowed two hits. In six Cactus League starts over 23 innings, Giolito (1.17 ERA) struck out 30, walked 10 and allowed 10 hits.

“The big goal was to improve that slider, use it more, and we accomplished that,” Giolito said of his third-best pitch. “Another goal was to develop my relationship with [catcher] Yasmani [Grandal]; we accomplished that. Treated today like a regular-season start, and it was a good one. I feel very prepared and ready for the season to begin.”

Abreu has last word

A fan yelled, “You suck!” at reigning MVP Jose Abreu while he was standing in the on-deck circle in the first inning, to which Abreu, shaking his head, turned around toward the fan, dropped his bat and lowered his open palms as if to say, ‘‘Why?’’ Moments later, Abreu drove in the first run with a single. He later homered, prompting Sox fans to taunt the unruly fan with “MVP” chants.

After playing nine full innings against the Brewers on Friday in Phoenix, Abreu went back to the Sox’ complex and hit for an hour.

“Abreu, he’s on another level; that’s why he’s our leader,” third baseman Yoan Moncada said. “Just how he handles himself and how hard he works.”

Winning ways

With two games left in Arizona on Sunday and Tuesday, the Sox (11-11-5) are 10-3-2 over their last 15. Tim Anderson extended his hitting streak to six games with two hits, including a double, raising his average to .309, and Moncada (.333) extended his on-base streak to 17 games with a single, double and triple.

On deck

Diamondbacks at Sox, 3:05 p.m. Sunday, Glendale, NBCSCH, 1000-AM, TBA vs. Dallas Keuchel.