<table> </table> <hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">GAME SUMMARY </span></strong><br /> Luke Hochevar moved closer to winning a spot in the Royals&#8217; rotation by delivering another strong performance Sunday in an 11-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale, Ariz.</p><p> Hochevar allowed one run and six hits in 4 1/3 innings before exiting after a 57-pitch effort that included 42 strikes. He lowered his spring ERA to 2.92. </p><p> Hochevar appears locked in a battle with Brian Bannister for the rotation&#8217;s final slot. Bannister has allowed 12 runs and 17 hits in 12 2/3 innings. </p><p> The Royals staked Hochevar to a 3-0 lead in the first inning against an ineffective Barry Zito. They also scored single runs against Zito in the second, fourth and fifth innings.</p><p> Mark Teahen had two homers, a double and a walk in five plate appearances. He is six for 13 in four games since returning from duty with Canada in the World Baseball Classic.</p><p> Mike Jacobs hit a two-run homer in the first, which boosted his club-leading totals to four homers and 11 RBIs.</p><p><strong><span class="infobox-head">REGULAR GUYS </span></strong><br /> Mike Jacobs also had a double in three at-bats against Barry Zito in the sort of lefty-lefty battle that is supposed to give him trouble.</p><p> &#8220;I&#8217;ve always said I don&#8217;t think I have too much trouble with lefties,&#8221; Jacobs countered. &#8220;When you don&#8217;t get an opportunity to play against lefties on a consistent basis, that makes it hard.&#8221;</p><p> Jacobs has a .269 career average in 393 career games against right-handers, and a .235 average in 180 career games against lefties.</p><p><strong><span class="infobox-head">POSITION BATTLES </span></strong><br /> Willie Bloomquist raised his average to .324 by going two for five with two RBIs. He spent the first five innings at second base before changing places with Mark Teahen, who started in right field.</p><p>Tony Pe&#241;a was just four for 25 before going three for three.</p><p><strong><span class="infobox-head">STAT WRAP </span></strong><br /> Not that he needed any proof, but manager Trey Hillman has fresh statistical proof to demonstrate the importance of on-base percentage after watching his club rank 26th among 30 teams last season at .320.</p><p> &#8220;We did our own Royals study on number of pitches seen and pitches thrown last year in our games,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The percentages were amazing. The winning team saw more pitches in 68.1 percent of our games.&#8221;</p><p> See more pitches, win more games?</p><p><strong><span class="infobox-head">PERSONNEL MOVES </span></strong><br /> Want to get an idea of what it means to players when they get sent down to the minors? For pitcher Carlos Rosa and infielder Mario Lisson, the financial difference is $335,000.</p><p> Both players were optioned Saturday to the minors &#8212; Rosa to Class AAA Omaha; Lisson to Class AA Northwest Arkansas.</p><p> Rosa and Lisson were each ticketed to make the major-league minimum of $400,000 if they spent the entire season in the majors. The minor-league portion of their split contract is $65,000.</p><p> Their salary is prorated if they split time in the majors and minors.</p><p><strong><span class="infobox-head">MEDICAL UPDATES </span></strong><br /> Reliever Henry Barrera, added last November to the 40-man roster, remains slowed by tender elbow. He hasn&#8217;t pitched since March 1 and is currently restricted to playing catch. He compiled a 2.81 ERA last season at Class A Wilmington and figures to start this season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas.</p><p>&#8226;An MRI detected pitcher Julio Pimentel has ligament damage in his right elbow. He will seek a second opinion to see whether surgery is necessary.</p><p></div> <hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> Royals (RHP Gil Meche) vs. White Sox (RHP Bartolo Colon), at 3:05 p.m. Central time in Glendale, Ariz.</p><p></div>