CHICAGO -- After watching Jesse Crain throw a 15-pitch scoreless inning of relief in the White Sox's win over the Angels on Friday, Matt Thornton said it was the best he’s seen his fellow reliever pitch in a while.

Crain couldn’t argue that. The 31-year-old right-hander has appeared in six games since returning from the disabled list with a sore shoulder, and said he’s continued to pick up strength with each outing.

“I hadn’t pitched in about a month,” Crain said. “It’s one of those years where I got healthy, pitched for a little bit, got hurt, got healthy, pitched for a little bit, got hurt again. So it’s been just a whirlwind of a season, so it’s nice to have my arm start to feel stronger every time.”

Crain’s health couldn’t have come at a better time for the Sox. His presence, along with the recently acquired Brett Myers, gives the Sox another veteran arm in addition to Matt Thornton alongside rookies Nate Jones and Addison Reed.

Crain has been dependable thus far. He’s allowed just one earned run over 5 1/3 innings since coming off the DL. And he’s made quick work in his last three appearances, with pitch counts of 15, 16 and 9.

“When my arm wasn’t feeling great I was kind of erratic,” Crain said. “I didn’t have the best control of where each pitch was going and then the next thing you know I was either walking guys or the count’s full. It comes with the territory of not feeling 100 percent again, but I’ve been feeling a lot better as of late.”