Clan-Members » en forced to bail the offense out. The Rams defe

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). Cheap Jordans From China .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Wholesale Jordan 12 China . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. http://www.wholesaleairjordan12.com/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Air Jordan Retro 12 Wholesale . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Jordan 12 Cheap Real . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. The Atlanta Falcons travel to Los Angeles this week to take on the Rams. The game is a critical one for the Falcons (7-5) as they fight not only to win the NFC South, but to hold on to a playoff spot. The Rams (4-8) are looking to play spoiler and to hold out hope they can finish the 2016 campaign without a losing record.No team in the NFL can take another team lightly, but the Rams do not seem to have much fight left in them. In a year where the team has moved, held training camp in various locations and traveled the globe, tired legs and minds seem to have caught up with everyone. Even head coach Jeff Fisher, who was awarded a two-year contract extension, lost his challenge flag in the loss to the New England Patriots.The Rams continue to struggle on offense, ranking last in a majority of offensive categories. The Rams are last in yards gained per game at 284. The 204.8 yards a game they average through the air is 29th and the 79.2 yards the Rams average per game on the ground is 30th in the league. Running back Todd Gurley has yet to break the century mark in a game running the football in 2016. Los Angeles averages 15 points per contest which is not only last in the NFL but even behind Clevelands 16.4 points a game.We had a lot of errors across the board, really, offensively, myself and everybody really. Errors are obviously going to happen; you just want to limit them. When one thing happens, you cant get down about that, youre OK (and) move on. Things dont always go your way, but you cant let (errors) keep happening. You just have to try to limit them, said quarterback Jared Goff, speaking of the New England Patriots game but truly encapsulating the entire Rams season.Speaking of errors, Atlanta lost in Week 15 on a pair of major miscues by quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan threw two interceptions in the game. One was returned for a touchdown. The other was on a two-point conversion attempt to put the team up by three points late in the fourth quarter. Instead, safety Eric Berry of the Chiefs ran the other way with the football and secured a one-point win for Kansas City.dddddddddddd The Falcons will need to shake off the shock and disappointment quickly as they prepare for the Rams.Its hard, but were going to get right to the truth of it and put our plan together to go play at our best (against the Rams). That part of our game -- mental toughness and resiliency -- weve got a lot of tough competitors, so I expect that part to come to fruition very quickly, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said.The Falcons offense can explode at any point and will be looking to take advantage of a worn out Rams defense. The Falcons rank first in the NFL in points per game at 32.2. The offense, with wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman having outstanding years, averages 412 yards a game, which is third in the NFL.The Rams defense, statistically speaking, has been solid this season. But the team is 11th in the NFL in defensive snaps and as the offense continues to try to find footing, the defense has been forced to bail the offense out. The Rams defense, which is prone to having lapses like they did against the New Orleans Saints, hope to keep Matt Ryan and Co. from having a performance like their NFC South counterpart.In Week 12, the Saints racked up 555 total yards and seven touchdowns against the Rams defense. This is the same defense that currently ranks 15th in the NFL in points allowed (21.8) and ninth in passing yards allowed (231). The Falcons offense is very comparable to the Saints so the Rams defense will be in for a stiff challenge.If the Rams are going to do anything on offense to try and salvage the season, playing the Falcons defense could be a turning point. The Falcons defense is almost as poor as the Rams offense, in terms of statistics. Atlanta ranks 29th in the NFL in points allowed (27.6), 27th in yards per game (381.7) and last in passing yards allowed (280.8). The Rams need quarterback Jared Goff to take advantage of this porous unit to keep the game close. ' ' '