r to end regulation, whi
r to end regulation, whi
CHICAGO -- The pitch was just a tick up, and Starlin Castro was ready. When Edwin Jackson was limited to five innings, the bullpen took over. Pedro Alvarezs drive fell short on the warning track. These are fun days for the improving Chicago Cubs. Castro hit a three-run homer and Jackson finally got the better of Charlie Morton, leading the Cubs to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. "This is the nicest Ive felt about this team since Ive been here," said Anthony Rizzo, who was acquired in a January 2012 trade with San Diego. Chris Coghlan added a solo shot as the Cubs opened a 10-game homestand with their fourth win in five games. Last-place Chicago also improved to 18-13 since May 17 for the best record in the NL in that stretch. "Everything in this game is contagious, whether its positive, negative, hitting, defence, pitching," Coghlan said. "I think were having more team at-bats." Jackson (5-7) was removed after 86 pitches due to cramps in his calves, but it was enough to get his first win in four matchups this year against Morton (4-8). The right-handers have faced off more than any other pair of starting pitchers this season in the majors. Jackson allowed three runs on Jordy Mercers fifth homer and five hits. He struck out eight and walked two in just his second win in his last six starts. Alvarez had a chance to tie the game when he came to the plate with two on and two out in the sixth. He took a frustrated hop between first and second as Ryan Sweeney ran down his long fly ball in the biggest part of the ballpark. Andrew McCutchen struck out with two on in the seventh, wasting another Pittsburgh threat. "Pitchings been pretty great all year. The offence is coming around, and the defence is coming around as well," Jackson said. "So were definitely showing a glimpse of what were able to do. Its just going out and doing it on a consistent basis." Pittsburgh rookie Gregory Polanco opened the game with a single to centre, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. He is the first NL player to begin his career with such a streak since Juan Pierres 16-game run for Colorado in 2000. The Pirates have lost four of five since a four-game winning streak. Morton retired six in a row before Jacksons one-out single in the third started a string of five consecutive batters reaching safely. Rizzo lined a two-run double into the right-field corner before Castro drove an 0-2 curveball over the wall in left for his 11th homer, moving past his total from all of last year. Morton jerked his head down in disgust when Castro connected, and then turned around to see where the ball was going. Castros third homer of the season against Morton gave the Cubs a 5-0 lead. "I could have gotten the ball down a little bit more," Morton said. "I dont think it was a bad pitch. It was a bad pitch to him in that situation." The six runs in six innings were a season high for Morton, who had won each of his last three starts and was 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA in his previous five outings. Mercer went deep after Jackson walked the first two batters in the fifth, but that was it for the Pirates. Four Cubs relievers combined for three innings of two-hit ball before Hector Rondon worked the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances. Jason Grilli pitched the eighth for the Pirates in his first outing since manager Clint Hurdle removed the right-hander from the closer role. Grilli has blown four save opportunities this season after converting 33 of 35 chances a year ago. "Better rhythm, a better execution of pitches," Hurdle said when asked about Grillis inning. NOTES: Hurdle said before the game that Mark Melancon will close for now, and he also could use Tony Watson in save opportunities. ... Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said he is pleased with Manny Ramirezs impact on the organization so far, and the former major league star could join Triple-A Iowa next week. When Ramirez reports to Iowa, he will be a player-coach for Chicagos top farm club. ... Epstein also said he doesnt forsee a scenario where prospect Kris Bryant joins the major league club this year. ... Pirates RHP Vance Worley (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Cubs LHP Travis Wood (7-5, 4.48 ERA) face off on Saturday. Custom Texas Rangers Jerseys . -- Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford made it through a third straight practice without any setbacks and expects to play in Oaklands regular-season finale against San Diego. Cole Hamels Jersey . The San Angelo, Texas product, who was a high school and college quarterback sensation in the Lone Star State, will start his first CFL game with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-4) on Friday at Mosaic Stadium against the leagues top team, the Calgary Stampeders (11-2). http://www.authentictexasrangersgear.co ... an-jersey/. - Joao Plata scored twice in the final 24 minutes, including the winner in stoppage time, to help Real Salt Lake remain unbeaten with a 3-2 victory over the winless Chicago Fire on Saturday night. Shin-Soo Choo Jersey . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here. Prince Fielder Jersey .J. -- While Martin Brodeur wasnt willing to say he stole one for the New Jersey Devils against the Columbus Blue Jackets, almost everyone else was.DALLAS -- DeMar DeRozan showed lots of love for former teammate and mentor Jose Calderon before Toronto played in Dallas. Then the pupil one-upped his old teacher in the game. DeRozan scored 15 points, including the go-ahead basket on a wild shot while getting fouled in overtime Friday night, and the Raptors overcame a season high in points from Calderon to beat the Mavericks 109-108. Toronto trailed 108-107 after a 3-pointer by Calderon when DeRozans pump-fake got Brandan Wright and Shawn Marion in the air. DeRozan threw up a shot as he was bumped and it went in for the final points with 1:11 remaining. Kyle Lowry led six players in double figures with 20 points for the Raptors, who lost to Charlotte in overtime two nights earlier and were 0-3 in OT this season. "We understand what not to do from the previous one," said DeRozan, who led the Raptors with nine assists. Calderon led Dallas with 23 points, including 11 to go along with three of his nine assists in the fourth quarter, and was 7 of 10 from long range. "Thats just Jose, man," DeRozan said. "Jose seems like every time the ball leaves his hand the balls going in." But not on the possession after DeRozans go-ahead basket. Down by a point, the Mavericks missed three times in one trip in the final minute when Nowitzki misfired from 3-point range and Calderon was off target after the rebound bounced back to him beyond the arc. With a chance to reset, the Mavericks got the ball to Nowitzki again, but he missed a fadeaway jumper from the baseline. Nowitzki scored 22, but missed his last six shots to finish 10 of 22 from the field. "You know its going to be one shot, one stop, and I think we did the right things," said Calderon, who spent most of his first eight years in Toronto before a midseason trade to Detroit last January. "But we couldnt make the last shot." DeRozan missed the free throw after his circus shot, but the Mavericks were off target on their last four, including a runner in the final seconds by Monta Ellis, who had 21 points and a season-high 11 assists. Toronto had its biggest lead at 89-81 when Calderon scored 11 straight Dallas points to get the Mavericks to 993-92.dddddddddddd Calderon then drove and zipped a pass to Nowitzki for a 3-pointer to put Dallas in front 95-93. Calderon also assisted on Marions go-ahead basket with 20.9 seconds left, but DeRozan got Toronto even at 101-all with a tough jumper over Marion just 4 seconds later. Nowitzki missed a turnaround jumper with Amir Johnson defending just before the buzzer to end regulation, which included a 14-1 run by Dallas for a 41-22 lead followed by a 27-6 Toronto burst that put the Raptors in front 49-47 in the final minute of the first half. "Its a PG rated show and I cant really say it," Toronto coach Dwane Casey of his first-half message to his team in the building where he was an assistant to Dallas coach Rick Carlisle for three seasons. "Guys responded. They hit us with a haymaker, and Im proud at the way our guys fought back." Torontos Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 13 rebounds, including a sequence where he rebounded his own miss twice and eventually scored for a 93-89 lead. Johnson and Terrence Ross scored 15 apiece for the Raptors, who started the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run. Greivis Vasquez had eight of his 14 points during the spurt, including a pair of 3-pointers on assists from DeRozan, who also hit a shot from long range. Ellis inbounded to Nowitzki with 2.9 seconds left in the third quarter, sped around Nowitzki as he got the ball back and hit a high-arching finger roll layup just before the buzzer to put the Mavericks up 81-78. The Mavericks had to fly to Phoenix after the game for their eighth back-to-back of the season and third game in four nights after they had a three-day break between a pair of home games. "It went wrong in the first half," Carlisle said. "They chewed into the lead very quickly. Its hard to build a 19-point lead in this league." Marion scored 14 points and matched Nowitzki with a team-high nine rebounds. NOTES: Mavericks G Devin Harris is now targeting a January return after a setback in his recovery from off-season toe surgery on his left foot. He has stopped basketball activities because of swelling. ... Nowitzki needs 35 points to pass Alex English for 13th on the NBAs scoring list. 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