SURPRISE, Ariz. – Luis Mendoza returned from Mexico's World Baseball Classic team to pitch four-hit ball over five innings, combining with four relievers on a five-hitter Sunday in the Kansas City Royals' 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Mendoza struck out four, walked one and lowered his spring training ERA to 0.82 in 11 innings. He threw 42 of 63 pitches for strikes.
Mendoza is competing for Kansas City's final rotation spot with Bruce Chen, who gave up five home runs Saturday to the Chicago Cubs.
Kansas City had 18 hits, two each by Billy Butler and Alex Gordon. The Royals batted around in a four-run first inning that Gordon led off with a broken-bat single and included run-producing singles by Butler, Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur.
White Sox starter Zach Stewart allowed seven runs, eight hits and three walks in 2 2-3 innings, retiring eight of 18 batters.
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