The Chicago Cubs used their bats and their arms to shut out the Kansas City Royals 7-0 Sunday afternoon. The Cubs' offense hit three home runs, and their defense threw two runners out at the plate in one inning to back Edwin Jackson's scoreless outing.

Jackson (W: 2-1, 5.28 ERA) is battling for a spot in the Cubs' rotation. He has not had a stellar tenure in Chicago after signing a lucrative contract prior to the 2013 season. As a Cub, he is 14-53 with a 5.58 ERA in 58 starts and one relief appearance over the past two seasons. 

On Sunday, Jackson pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit. He also walked one and fanned three. Sunday's was his second scoreless outing of the spring, but he has allowed nine earned runs in 15 1/3 total innings.

Leading 1-0 in the top of the third, the Cubs threw out the first of two runners at the plate thanks to two spectacular throws from right fielder Ryan Sweeney and second baseman Javier Baez on a double off the fence from Kansas City's Kendrys Morales.

For Baez, it was his second run-preventing throw of the inning. One batter earlier, he cut down Jarrod Dyson attempting to score on a ground ball.

The Cubs jumped on the board early with a solo home run from Miguel Montero (2) with two outs in the top of the first. They got two more home runs at the end of the game; Junior Lake (1) hit a solo shot in the eighth, and Matt Szczur (4) hit a two-run blast to score Stephen Bruno ahead of him in the ninth. Sweeney and Bruno each drove in runs as well -- Sweeney with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Bruno with a two-run double in the ninth.

Kris Bryant played left field but had a rough day at the plate: 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. Still, he is hitting .425 with 9 HR and 15 RBI on the spring.

Edison Volquez (L: 1-3, 7.79) started for Kansas City and lasted five innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out eight. He also served up Montero's home run. Wade Davis and Greg Holland, part of the Royals' normally dominant relief corps, combined to give up five earned runs with four of them charged to Holland in 2/3 of an inning. 

On Monday, the Cubs will host the San Francisco Giants while Kansas City visits the Texas Rangers. Both games will start at 4:04 p.m. EDT.