Major League Baseball

Giants 2, Royals 1

Published Mar. 13, 2012 1:24 a.m. ET

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This time, Tim Lincecum was pleased with his outing.

Lincecum pitched four solid innings and the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Monday.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner yielded an unearned run and an infield single. He struck out four and walked two after he was knocked around for five runs and seven hits in his previous outing against Colorado.

Lincecum said it was ''definitely'' motivation not to have another similar performance.

''You try to come out here and take them seriously, but know you're coming out here with a purpose to get your work in and not necessarily care about the outcome,'' he said. ''But as athletes and competitors, we want the outcome to be good every time. Regardless of that, you just try to focus on what you're working on and try to keep that competitive edge as well.

''This is a lot better than my last outing. The fact I doubled my innings helps and my arm and my body still feels good and I still kept my mechanics. I'm trying to take that as a positive and run with it.''

Jarrod Dyson's single off Lincecum's left foot in the fourth was the only hit he allowed.

Lincecum was opposed by Luke Hochevar, who allowed two runs and four hits in three innings for Kansas City.

The Royals selected Hochevar with the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft and Lincecum went 10th overall that same year to the Giants.

''We knew he was there and he was probably going to end up being one of the top two or three picks,'' Lincecum said. ''He had to have been just because of his stuff. You got to see it today; it's live 93-95, 96 (mph). I think the matter of him, just like all of us, is just a matter of locating your pitches.''

He said the Royals scouted him ''a little bit'' before the draft.

''I was more of an undersized pitcher, so wherever I fell I was happy with,'' said Lincecum, who is listed at 5-foot-11 and 157 pounds, compared to 6-5 and 222 for Hochevar.

The Royals had a rough fifth inning when heralded prospects Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas left with injuries.

Hosmer hurt his right shoulder when he landed awkwardly diving for a ground ball in the fifth. He was checked out by the team doctor and could be able to play Tuesday.

Moustakas had a bruised right knee after he was hit by a Santiago Casilla pitch in the bottom half. He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

''I was only on the ground for a couple of seconds and was walking to first when Skip pulled me out,'' Moustakas said. ''It feels a little sore, getting hit by 94 (mph) on the side of the knee. Hos went down and I went down right after that, kind of a good scare. We're both OK. Hos is feeling good. We were in the trainer's room together, but everything seems to be OK though.''

Royals manager Ned Yost said Hosmer is likely to play Tuesday, but ''we'll see with Moose how he is.''

''He got hit pretty good, but it's just a contusion,'' Yost said. ''Hos was fine.''

Hochevar struck out two and walked none.

Conor Gillaspie homered in the second inning for San Francisco.

''I thought Hoch threw the ball good,'' Yost said. ''He kept the ball down good. The pitch the guy hit for a home run was a pretty decent pitch, it was down low and kind of cut back over the plate a little bit. I was pleased with him. We pitched good and I thought they pitched good. It was a good pitching day for both teams. Lincecum has got some excellent stuff.''

NOTES: Lincecum picked Hosmer off first base after he walked in the fourth. . Royals C Salvador Perez went 0 for 3 and is hitless in 15 at-bats.

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