CHICAGO -- Joey Vottos hard-hit comebacker struck Jon Lester and ricocheted toward first as the left-hander doubled over.Joe Maddon rushed to the mound, uncertain where the ball had hit his star pitcher. But Lester got up and wanted nothing of the visit, brushing off his manager just as he waved off curious reporters after the game.Its my right hand, Lester said. I dont need it.Lester overcame the injury scare to throw seven strong innings, Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs moved closer to securing the NLs best record with a 6-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.Lester (18-4) extended his scoreless streak to 21 innings before Jose Perazas RBI triple in the fifth. He allowed six hits, struck out five, walked none and added an RBI double. Lester improved to 9-0 since the All-Star break despite the welt on his right wrist.It could have been a lot worse, Maddon said.Rizzo had a two-run single in a four-run fourth and a run-scoring single in the sixth to give him 104 RBI. The Cubs 96th win reduced their magic number to three over Washington for clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.The Cubs, who wrapped up the NL Central last week, are trying to find the right balance of staying sharp while getting rest and avoiding injury before the postseason. Thats why the crowd gasped and the trainer and Maddon rushed to check on Lester.Itll be fine, Lester said. Its a long way from the heart.He retired six of his final seven batters before leaving after 97 pitches. Lester took over the NL lead in wins and dropped his ERA to 2.36, helping his Cy Young Award candidacy.His competition includes teammate Kyle Hendricks. Maddon also has to decide which pitcher gets the ball in the playoff opener.If Im the guy, it will definitely be a huge honor, especially with the staff that we have, Lester said. If Im not the guy, tell me when Im going. Ill be there. Ill be ready.After David Ross singled with two outs in the second, Lester lined a fastball off Josh Smith (3-2) into right-center. The 39-year-old Ross, who has said hes retiring at the end of the season, lumbered from first and belly-flopped into home without a throw to put the Cubs ahead to stay.Thats more of a collapse than a slide, Ross said.Smith, making a spot start in a bullpen game for the Reds, left after allowing three hits over three innings.The Cubs scored four two-out runs in the fourth off Wandy Peralta, who walked Lester before Dexter Fowlers RBI single. Kris Bryant followed with a bloop RBI double.Bryant added a diving catch in a rare start in left field as the Cubs beat the last-place Reds for the 12th time in 15 tries.Our situation is were looking at some of the younger players we brought up for September and sometimes there are painful lessons, Reds manager Bryan Price said. Its hard to go through, but the only way these guys are going to learn how to pitch up here is to pitch.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Homer Bailey (biceps) felt well enough that his bullpen session was moved up a day. Price was pleased and said its possible Bailey will get a start or two before the season ends. There hasnt been any issue regarding his surgically repaired elbow, Price said.Cubs: RHP Pedro Strop (knee, groin) threw a simulated game without issues and is set to come off the disabled list and pitch Friday, plugging the last postseason bullpen hole. Were expecting to have the time where I can get at least five or six innings in the regular season before playoffs, Strop said.SCRIPTED SERIESMaddon hopes to play scripted games to close the regular season: using relievers regardless of the situation, resting players and possibly having a bullpen game.Were playing the Cardinals this weekend and theres still playoff implications involved, and even with us there are in regards to winning home-field advantage, Maddon said. Hopefully, by next week it may be the time to script things.UP NEXTCubs RHP John Lackey (9-8, 3.42 ERA), contending with Jason Hammel for the final postseason rotation spot, starts the series finale Wednesday night against RHP Robert Stephenson (2-1, 4.97). Nike Air Max Womens Discount . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Nike Air Max Womens All White . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. http://www.nikeairmaxwomensforsale.com/ . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Nike Air Max Womens All Black . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Nike Air Max Womens Outlet . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. PHOENIX -- The rotation has been a big problem for Arizona.For the second game in a row, the Diamondbacks got a strong performance from a starter.Robbie Ray pitched seven scoreless innings, Jake Lamb hit his 21st home run and Arizona held on to beat Los Angeles 6-5 on Sunday to take two of three from the Dodgers.On Saturday night, Archie Bradley allowed one run in six innings during the Diamondbacks 2-1 12-inning victory. The Dodgers won the series opener 13-7.Friday didnt go so well, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. Its all based on our starting pitching. They give us the outing, I think we have enough offense to beat teams.Arizona squandered almost all of a 6-0 lead the last two innings. The Dodgers scored two in the eighth and three in the ninth.For us to stay in it and keep fighting and putting some bats together throughout the day, manager Dave Roberts said, to show that resiliency, to fight and make it close, put the tying run on third, the winning run on first with less than two outs, I thought we were in a good spot.Arizona rookie Jake Barrett relieved Tyler Clippard and gave up a two-run single to Justin Turner to make it 6-5. With runners on first and third, Barrett struck out Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor to earn his second save.I try my best to go out there and just not think about the situation, Barrett said. Try to slow the game down, control my breathing and my tempo and then try to throw strikes.Ray (5-8) gave up four hits, struck out seven, walked two and hit two batters. The left-hander worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the second inning.Archie went out and pitched really well yesterday, Ray said. He established the tone. I think that was the main thing. That was something (that) rolling into today we were just going to keep it going.Lamb hit a solo homer and singled in a run off Kenta Maeda (8-7), tagged for a season-worst five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings starts.Turner had a two-run home run in the eighth. Corey Seager had three doubles, one knocking in a run in the ninth.With the homer, Lamb hit for the cycle in four consecutiive at-bats over two games -- a triple and double Saturday night, a single and homer on Sunday.dddddddddddd.The Diamondbacks jumped on Maeda for three runs in the first. Lamb drove in one with a single and Brandon Drury doubled in the other two.UMPIRE SWITCHDale Scott was out of the umpire lineup after being hit in the mask by a foul ball and leaving the game in the first inning on Saturday. Stu Scheurwater was called up from minors to take his place.LONG JOURNEYArizonas Mike Freeman made his major league debut after 3,149 plate appearances in the minors. The 28-year-old utility player, who was in his seventh minor league season before his contract was selected by the Diamondbacks from Triple-A Reno, was in the lineup in right field. He struck out three times and walked.TRAINING ROOMDodgers: Roberts said the team will wait a few days to see how LHP Clayton Kershaw (mild disc herniation) responds to his Saturday activity before determining the next step for the Dodger ace. He threw 60 pitches to live batters in Los Angeles. ... CF Joc Peterson singled twice and walked twice in his second consecutive rehab game for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday. He was to make one more rehab start and rejoin the Dodgers in Washington on Tuesday.Diamondbacks: OF David Peralta (lower back strain) was to make his first rehab appearance for Double-A Mobile at Chattanooga on Sunday. ... INF Chris Owings (plantar fasciitis in left foot) was 3 for 4 for Reno in his first rehab game Saturday. He tripled and scored a run.UP NEXTDodgers: Los Angeles has Monday off before opening a three-game series at Washington. LHP Scott Kazmir (7-3, 4.52 ERA) will start for the Dodgers against a pitcher yet to be named.Diamondbacks: Arizona has Monday off then plays a two-game interleague home series against Toronto. RHP Zack Godley (2-0, 5.28 ERA) will be recalled from Reno to make the start for Arizona on Tuesday night. RHP Aaron Sanchez (9-1, 2.97) starts for the Blue Jays. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '