SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Top Rangers officials already were strongly leaning toward Luis Mendoza as their fifth starter, even before he took the mound on a bright Tuesday afternoon.

Five innings later, when his afternoon was done, Mendoza had done everything he needed to do to confirm their judgment.

He still may have to start the season in Triple-A because the Rangers don't need a fifth starter until April 12. But Mendoza pretty much wrapped up the fifth spot in the rotation by becoming the first Rangers starter to go five innings in a Cactus League game in an 11-6 victory over the Athletics.

They were five strong innings backed by superb defense, including terrific diving stops by first baseman Jason Botts and second baseman Ian Kinsler and a couple of nice running catches in right field by Marlon Byrd. Mendoza allowed one run on two hits, struck out one and did not walk a batter.

"He was good," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He kept the ball down, threw all his pitches and stayed in the strike zone."

The start was similar to the beginning of his outing last Thursday against the Rockies, when he retired the first 10 hitters he faced. However, Mendoza then fell apart, allowing seven straight Colorado hitters to reach base and ultimately being charged with five runs. There was no cratering Tuesday afternoon.

"He kept his stuff the whole time he was out there," Washington said. "That tells you he made an adjustment, because we all know he has good stuff."

Mendoza once again featured his sinker, but he also used his changeup more. That's a sinkerball pitcher's best weapon against left-handed hitters, and the Athletics left-handed swingers were 1-for-11 off Mendoza.

"I have been struggling against left-handers," Mendoza said. "So I mixed in my changeup, and my sinker was down."

Other fifth-starter candidates still have starts to make. Sidney Ponson pitches Friday against the Angels, and Eric Hurley starts Saturday against the Mariners. Mendoza next pitches Sunday against the Giants. All three will start the season at Triple-A Oklahoma since the Rangers don't need their fifth starter until the end of the second week of the season.

But they want to identify their fifth starter before they leave Arizona. In Mendoza, they have done just that.