Mendoza rebounded from a rough outing to strike out eight batters in six innings and Josh Hamilton drove in two more runs as the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 7-2.
Pitching on three days of rest, Mendoza (2-3) allowed just three hits and one walk to win for the first time in six starts. He allowed eight runs in 1 1/3 innings in Texas’ 9-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.
“Last time was rough,” said Mendoza, who allowed home runs on the last two pitches he threw against the Angels. “I tried to throw strikes (Friday) and stay ahead all the time. It felt great.”
Mendoza probably could have pitched another inning to save a bullpen that had worked 13 1/3 innings the past two games, but manager Ron Washington elected to take him out after six.
“We wanted him to leave with a good feeling,” Washington said. “It’s important that he took us deep into the ballgame. He did exactly what we needed for him to do.”
Mendoza was aided by three of his four All-Star teammates.
Hamilton, who will start for the American League on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, went 3-for-5 and leads the major leagues with 93 runs batted in. He has 11 RBI in his last seven games.
Ian Kinsler extended his hitting streak to 23 games, tying fellow Rangers All-Star Michael Young for the longest in baseball this season. David Murphy and Chris Davis homered for Texas, which leads the majors in runs scored.
“This lineup we have is very powerful,” Davis said. “Hopefully we can keep things rolling and get some more wins.”
Designated hitter Milton Bradley missed his third straight start with a sore left knee, but Washington insisted that Bradley won’t miss the All-Star Game.
Gavin Floyd (10-5) lasted 2 2/3 innings in his shortest outing of the season for the White Sox. Floyd, who was 6-1 in his previous eight starts, walked a career-high seven and allowed six runs.
“I struggled with all my pitches,” Floyd said. “Instead of relaxing and slowing down, the game sped up on me.”
Jim Thome hit his 524th career homer in the seventh for the White Sox, who had won 11 of their last 14.
Eddie Guardado got Paul Konerko to fly out with the bases loaded in the ninth to earn his second save.
The Rangers scored five runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead, taking advantage of Floyd’s control problems.
Young reached on a leadoff walk and scored on Hamilton’s double. Murphy then hit a two-run drive to right on a 1-2 pitch for his 13th homer.
Floyd allowed more two walks and a hit to load the bases. Ramon Vazquez walked to force in a run, and the White Sox brought in D.J. Carrasco to relieve Floyd.
Young capped the third-inning scoring with another bases-loaded walk.
“You come to this ballpark with this hitting team and not throw strikes, you’ll be in the shower quick,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “The worst thing is to be cute and put people on base.”
Mendoza allowed only one walk through three innings before yielding consecutive doubles to A.J. Pierzynski and Carlos Quentin leading off the fourth.
Chicago almost scored a second run in the inning but left fielder Brandon Boggs threw out a runner at the plate for a second straight game. Boggs nailed Quentin trying to score on Jim Thome’s fly ball.
NOTES: Hamilton asked 71-year-old volunteer coach Clay Council to pitch to him during Monday’s Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium. Council, who lives in Cary, N.C., has thrown batting practice to Hamilton since he was in high school.
