Major League Baseball

Athletics 10, Royals 3

Published Mar. 15, 2010 12:27 a.m. ET

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Eric Chavez's bat may have been quiet but his glove was active. Playing in two consecutive games for the first time since last April, Chavez handled seven chances in the field flawlessly Sunday in Oakland's 10-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Chavez, who was 0-for-3 at the plate, will sit out two days and then play in two consecutive games again. He said that will be his first real test of the spring.

``It was better than I thought and that's a good sign,'' Chavez said. ``Obviously the next time I go back-to-back will be another hurdle. I'll let my body recover and get ready for two more.''

The six-time Gold Glove third baseman is changing positions after season-ending back surgery last June. Chavez moved capably around first base Sunday in his fifth appearance there. He had made one regular-season appearance at first in 2001.

``I really try to pick up what I can from anybody,'' he said. ``Even if I don't use them, I like to hear other ideas and how others go about things. I'm listening to (Daric) Barton. I have asked him a question every day I am at first. I try not to be surprised.''

He had one play, an easy grounder off the bat of catcher Brayan Pena, in which he appeared momentarily confounded and wound up underhanding the ball to pitcher Trevor Cahill. He could have taken the play himself.

``It was good practice,'' Chavez said. ``I still need to get comfortable with who is hitting. The next time I'll have that in mind and I will know the situation better.''

Kurt Suzuki doubled home two runs and Rajai Davis had two hits and two RBIs for the A's. Jake Fox hit a three-run home run in the eighth.

Cahill's third start was his best yet. He gave up two hits in four innings with a walk and two strikeouts and felt so good he threw 12 more pitches in the bullpen.

``It's good to walk away from a decent outing and know what I need to work on,'' Cahill said. ``I tried to work on a new curveball and I threw about five or six of them.''

Kansas City's Kyle Davies wasn't so fortunate. He struggled through 2 2-3 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. He walked three and did not strike out a batter. Vance Wilson hit a two-run homer and Buck Coats doubled in a run for the Royals.

Cahill and the rest of the pitching staff were treated to a motivational talk from former A's ace Dave Stewart early in the day. The 22-year-old never saw Stewart pitch, not even on television replays.

``It was great to have somebody who has won 20 games talk to us,'' Cahill said. ``He covered all the bases. He talked about how the team feeds off the pitcher and gives the team confidence.''

Cahill did film a commercial with Stewart, which utilizes the former World Series MVP's famed ``death stare.''

``It's one of those funny ones where he tries to teach me the stare down and I wasn't getting it,'' Cahill said.

Notes: RHP Matt Herges, at 39, is the oldest Royals players of the 58 remaining in camp. ... RHP Justin Duchscherer is expected to throw in a minor-league game on Wednesday. He was originally scheduled for Tuesday. ... RHP Joey Devine, who missed a week with tendinitis, plans to throw off the mound on Wednesday. ... Davis is 5-for-8 after starting the spring 1-for-19.

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