Royals 2 - 5 White Sox
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Santana set for Royals debut at U.S. Cellular Field

Apr 3, 2013 - 1:49 PM

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(Sports Network) - Ervin Santana makes his Kansas City debut on Wednesday, as the Royals try for their first win and even their three-game set against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

Santana, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this offseason, is coming off a disappointing 2012 campaign that saw him go 9-13 with a 5.16 ERA over 30 starts. He got better as the year wore on and went 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA over the final two months of the regular season.

The 29-year-old righty had spent his entire eight-year career with the Angels with his greatest accolade coming on July 27, 2011, when he tossed the eighth no-hitter in team history against the Cleveland Indians.

Chicago, meanwhile, will turn to righty Jake Peavy, who at times last season resembled the pitcher who won a National League Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres in 2007.

Peavy, an All-Star for the third time in his career a year ago, pitched over 200 innings for the first time since his award-winning campaign and went 11-12 with a 3.37 ERA and 194 strikeouts over 32 starts.

He was rewarded this offseason with a 2-year, $29 million contract.

Chicago started its season off on a winning note Monday, as Tyler Flowers supplied the game's only run with a solo homer to lift the White Sox past the Royals, 1-0.

Chris Sale, making his first career Opening Day start, pitched 7 2/3 innings and struck out seven batters while walking one and allowing seven hits for the White Sox.

"That was fun, it was exciting," Sale said. "It was everything I thought it would be and more. I did a real good job of kind of collecting myself and not getting too amped up too early or too late and it ended up being a pretty good day."

James Shields (0-1), who was acquired with Wade Davis from Tampa Bay this past offseason, pitched well for Kansas City, allowing one run on eight hits.

Kansas City took the season series last year, going 12-6.






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