Royals go with Mendoza against White Sox
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Right-hander Luis Mendoza makes the second start of a late- game series with the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
A 27-year-old, Mendoza was an unsigned free-agent addition by the Boston Red Sox in 2000 and debuted in the majors with the Texas Rangers in 2007.
He made a career-high 11 starts and 25 appearances with the Rangers in 2008, but appeared in just five more games over the subsequent two seasons with the Rangers and Royals.
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Mendoza spent the early portion of 2011 in the minors and was 12-5 in 33 appearances at Triple-A Omaha before returning to pitch seven innings of two- run ball in a 10-2 win over Detroit on Sept. 20.
He's 1-1 in three career meetings with the White Sox.
For Chicago, righty Gavin Floyd again looks for a first win of the season's final month.
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The 28-year-old former first-round draft pick was 12-10 in 2011 after a 9-3 win at Seattle on Aug. 28. He's 0-2 in four September starts, however, including a 4-3 loss at Cleveland on Sept. 20 in which he allowed seven hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Floyd is 3-7 against the Royals in 13 career appearances.
On Saturday, Alex Rios had three hits, including a two-run homer, as the White Sox won, 6-3, in the second game of the three-game set.
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John Danks (8-12) lasted 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out eight. He remains undefeated in 12 starts against the Royals, posting a 5-0 record.
"This is probably the best stuff I've had all year," Danks said.
Brent Morel also homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game losing streak at U.S. Cellular Field.
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Ernest Teaford (2-1) allowed five runs on six hits and three walks through five innings for the loss.
"I don't think I did very well at all," Teaford said about his performance. "I wasn't consistently down, I wasn't getting my offspeed over early in counts and I was just behind a lot."
Melky Cabrera drove in two runs for the Royals, losers in three of their last five games.
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Kansas City is 10-7 versus Chicago this season.