MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Jason Marquis made it known early in spring training he wants no part of the bullpen this season. Or the Chicago Cubs, if they assign him there.

The right-hander bolstered his case for a spot in the rotation with another sound start Tuesday, allowing one run and five hits over five-plus innings in the Cubs' 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Chicago right fielder Kosuke Fukudome left the game in the sixth inning after an errant throw hit him below his left collarbone after a stolen base. He was immediately replaced by Eric Patterson and ran off the field without help.

Marquis, who has made at least 32 starts and won at least 12 games each of the last four seasons, is battling Jon Lieber and Ryan Dempster for two spots in the rotation. He struck out four and walked two against Kansas City.

"I'm prepared to be a starter for the Chicago Cubs," Marquis said. "That's first and foremost. Any other situation that takes me in a different direction, I'll address it when the time comes."

The rotation battle continues Wednesday with Dempster pitching at home against Oakland in an afternoon split-squad game and righty Lieber throwing against San Francisco in Scottsdale that night.

Dempster is coming off a disastrous outing against the Los Angeles Angels, when he allowed six runs and five hits in 1 2-3 innings. Lieber has allowed two runs and seven hits in 10 innings this spring.

Marquis lowered his Cactus League ERA to 1.93 with his strong effort against the Royals.

"(Marquis) pitched very, very well," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "We're going to have to make some decisions on short order. They're making it tough for us. All these guys deserve a spot in the rotation the way they've pitched."

Said Marquis: "I did everything I could do to make myself happy. I feel like it's a step in the right direction."

Marquis caused a stir early in spring training when he said he would rather leave the team than go to the bullpen. That irked Piniella, who said Marquis' statement "galls me."

Piniella apologized the next day.

Marquis has been mentioned in trade talks with the Boston Red Sox. "Starting pitching is in need all over," he said. "I feel like I can help this team get where it needs to be."

Mark DeRosa drove in his first run of the spring for Chicago with a second-inning triple and Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run drive in the sixth for his first homer of the spring.

Ronny Cedeno went 3-for-3 and scored the winning run on Casey McGehee's ninth-inning single.

Mark Teahen went 3-for-4 and Alberto Callaspo had three RBIs for the Royals.

Notes @: Infielder Alex Cintron pulled up and grabbed his left hamstring running to first late in the game. "We don't think it's a pull but more of a cramp," Piniella said. ... Piniella said the Cubs will start the season with a five-man rotation, not four. "The reason being, let's find out who our third-best starter is." ... Chicago's Kerry Wood, the front-runner for the closer's job, will pitch back-to-back games for the first time Wednesday and Thursday. ... The Cubs' seventh sellout of the spring at HoHoKam Park raised home attendance to 119,347, tops in the Cactus League. A total of 200,488 have watched the Cubs this spring, tops in the major leagues.