The final score may not indicate it, but both starting pitchers dominated their offensive opponents for five shutout innings as the San Diego Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 6-1. The highlight of the day was Padres starter James Shields pitching five no-hit innings.

Shields walked two and struck out six in lowering his Spring Training ERA to 2.25. He has allowed three earned runs in 12 total innings. A performance like Sunday's in the regular season would mean a chance to complete the no-hitter. San Diego Union-Times Padres beat writer Dennis Lin quoted Padres manager Bud Black describing Shields's dominant Spring Training performance through Sunday. Said Black,

"He was locked in today. He's got two more starts, and we're happy where he is, the way he's throwing the ball and hitting his markers."

Shields signed a four-year, $75-million contract with the Padres in February.

Shields's former Tampa Bay Rays teammate Jason Hammel was nearly as effective in his five innings. Hammel allowed only three hits but no runs. He walked none and struck out nine.

Hamels re-signed with the Cubs for two years after the Cubs traded him to Oakland last July. He was 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 17 starts for the Cubs in 2014.

Down 1-0 after six innings, San Diego scored six unanswered runs: one in the seventh (Wil Myers RBI double), two in the eighth (Tommy Medica's pinch-hit two-run home run, 4), and three in the ninth (Brett Wallace's two-run single and Medica's RBI groundout). Medica drove in three on the afternoon.

The Cubs scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth when Arismendy Alcantara took Jose Valverde over the center field wall (2) to lead off the inning. It was the Cubs' first hit of the day, and they managed only three more, all singles.

Nick Vincent (W: 1-0, 0.00 ERA) pitched 2/3 of an inning in the seventh to notch the win. He allowed one hit and struck out one.

Francisley Bueno (L: 0-1, 4.26) allowed Medica's two-run shot in the eighth to take the loss. He also let Wallace single ahead of Medica's home run but finished the inning with no further damage.

On Monday, the Padres host the Chicago White Sox while the Cubs have the day off. The Padres and White Sox will begin at 4:05 p.m. EDT.

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About the author
Raymond Bureau
Raymond became a baseball fan at a very young age. He played baseball through high school and soon after became a varsity coach. He is now the P.A. announcer at his high school where he teaches. Raymond previously produced radio sports talk shows and hosted a weekly MLB radio call-in show. His favorite teams are the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Raymond is a devoted husband, father, and Christ follower. His life verses are Philippians 4:13, John 14:6, and Isaiah 41:10.