Kyle Schwarber Connects for Grand Slam, but Cubs Lose to Giants; Chris Davis Helps Orioles Clobber Blue Jays

Players of the Day for Thursday, March 5, 2015

Grapefruit League

Chris Davis

Eight Baltimore pitchers combined for a four-hit shutout and Chris Davis smashed a gargantuan three-run homer as the Orioles topped the Blue Jays, 5-0, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida.

The result left both teams with identical 1-2 records. The homer by Davis was his first of Spring and was knocked out of the park in the third inning. Second baseman, Jonathan Schoop added a two-run blast in the seventh.

Davis, sidelined part of last season due to a suspension for amphetamine use, had 26 homers and 72 RBI in 2014, but batted just .196 in 127 games.

Cactus League

Kyle Schwarber: Birthday Slam

The Giants may have won their first game of Spring in three tries, whipping the Cubs, 8-6, but the victory was costly in more ways than one.

Starter Ryan Vogelsong was roughed up, allowing a second-inning grand slam to Kyle Schwarber, and right fielder, Hunter Pence, will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, and breaking his left forearm.

The pitch was thrown by Corey Black, and Pence made his way to first base before being removed for a pinch-runner.

Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs first pick of last June's draft, connected on a second-inning, Vogelsong 1-2 pitch and sent the ball over the right field fence in his first at-bat against a major league hurler. The round-tripper was a nice self-administered present for Schwarber on his 22nd birthday.

The game was Chicago's first of Spring.