," Braun said. "You know whenever youre

PITTSBURGH -- Gerrit Cole has picked the right time to start winning -- in the midst of a pennant race. Cole won consecutive starts for the first time since early June, National League batting leader Josh Harrison had three hits, and the surging Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 7-3 Friday night for their seventh win in eight games. Cole (9-5) improved to 5-0 against the Cubs, allowing three runs, five hits and one walk in six innings with six strikeouts. He also won at Wrigley Field last weekend. Coles only other consecutive winning starts this year were April 4 and 10, and May 29 and June 3. He also spent two stints on the disabled list, totalling 70 days. Though he wasnt at his best, Cole was able to escape a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning after Welington Castillos RBI single had pulled the Cubs to 4-3. Cole got Arismendy Alcantara to foul out to the catcher to end the inning. "He has been able to slow himself down and focus on making the next big pitch," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Cole. "He did a good job of the big pitch when he had to." Pittsburgh is 14-7 since Aug. 20, moving a season-high nine games over .500 at 78-69. The Pirates, who were eight games under as late as May 21 (18-26), maintained a 1 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee for the second NL wild card. "Were playing really good baseball right now," shortstop Jordy Mercer said. "Even though weve been scoring runs, it always comes down to pitching and defence and that was the difference." Harrison raised his average to .318 while scoring a pair of runs from the leadoff spot. Mercer also had three hits and drove in three runs, including a two-run single in the sixth that made it 6-3. Neil Walker had a pair of RBI singles for the Pirates, who had 14 hits. Alcantara and fellow rookie Javier Baez homered for the Cubs, who have lost seven straight in their longest skid since 2012. Baez had hit .103 in his previous 10 games and Alcantara batted .130 in his past 14. Tsuyoshi Wada (4-3) gave up four runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings. "I thought we put in some pretty good at bats," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "I thought, overall, we played a little bit better than we had the previous six games." TRAINERS ROOM Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo (lower back strain) took batting practice and ran the bases during a pregame workout but missed his 16th straight game and likely wont return until Monday, when Chicago hosts Cincinnati. Pirates: LF Starling Marte (bruised left elbow) sat out after leaving Thursday nights win at Philadelphia when he was hit by a pitch. RHP Charlie Morton (right hip inflammation/sports hernia) threw 42 pitches in a bullpen session and hopes to pitch in relief. His last major league appearance was on Aug. 15 when he started and lost at Washington. UP NEXT Cubs LHP Felix Doubront (3-5, 5.43) is to make his third start Saturday night since being acquired July 30 from Boston in a trade, facing Pirates LHP Jeff Locke (7-4, 3.60). Doubront went 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his first two starts. Locke is 5-1 with a 3.29 ERA in his last seven starts. FATHERHOOD AWAITS Cubs rookie RF Jorge Soler is expected to miss the three-game series after travelling to Miami for the birth of his first child. He has hit .356 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in his first 12 big league games. Washington Redskins Jerseys China . - Mathew Barzal scored 3:47 into overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds downed the visiting Everett Silvertips 4-3 on Tuesday in Western Hockey League playoff action. Dexter Manley Jersey . Floundering in the English Premier League, United has delivered better performances in Europe this season and stunned Bayern by taking the lead against the run of play through Nemanja Vidics header in the 58th minute. Bayern had dominated possession but struggled to create a clear-cut chance before Schweinsteiger arrowed a half-volley high into the net in the 67th to give the German side a slight advantage ahead of the second leg in Munich next week. http://www.cheapredskinsjerseysauthentic...y-taylor-jersey. After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. Bryce Love Jersey . - Tom Brady was upset that his New England Patriots hardly looked like a division champion in the first half. Sean Taylor Jersey .com) - Houston Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips confirmed Monday that starting quarterback Case Keenum sustained a sprained right thumb during Sundays 25-3 loss in Indianapolis.MILWAUKEE -- It was a tough night at the ballpark for Ryan Braun. First, the Brewers slugger accidentally knocked shortstop Jean Segura out of the game after hitting him in the head with his bat while warming up on the top steps of the dugout in the first. Braun departed himself after the eighth with a slight chest muscle strain. The injuries wiped some of the lustre off Marco Estradas strong outing in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday that gave Milwaukee its seventh win in eight games. Manager Ron Roenicke said Segura didnt have a concussion or fractures, but needed stitches to close a gash on his face. Segura might miss a few days, while Braun labeled himself as day to day. Foremost in Brauns mind was that Segura seemed to be OK after the scary moment. "Obviously, its never something thats done intentionally," Braun said. "You know whenever youre involved in a situation like that, I think it puts life in perspective and you realize how insignificant baseball is. Thank God from everything weve heard hes OK." Estrada (2-1) threw 7 2-3 strong innings with nine strikeouts. Jeff Bianchi went 2 for 4, entering the game as a pinch hitter in the first for Segura. The Brewers had to take a few moments to regroup after seeing Segura on the floor of the dugout in pain. He had to be helped to the clubhouse. Braun was facing the field on the top steps of the dugout, where he normally stations himself for his warmup routine. Segura, who was batting second ahead of third-place hitter Braun, was coming up the steps behind him, and a TV replay showed the All-Star shortstop getting it on the right side of the head. "It bugged me all game but its one of those things you hope you can prevent. I know Braunny felt bad," Roenicke said. "Bianchi came in and did a great job for him." Bianchi drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the second off Travis Wood (1-3). Francisco Rodriguez tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save. Wood had his toughest outing of the season, yielding five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. &qquot;It was a grind and a battle tonight," he said.dddddddddddd "I didnt have my A game. I was missing balls and falling behind hitters." Estrada retired the first 10 hitters he faced -- a few on flyballs deep into the outfield -- before Luis Valbuena turned on a 2-0 fastball for a solo homer to right. The righty then retired 10 in a row again, effectively mixing a changeup and curveball with fastball in the high 80s. He maintained control until Welington Castillo hit a two-run shot in the eighth to get the Cubs within two. Estrada departed having allowed four hits and no walks. "Its the best Ive felt so far since spring training," Estrada said. "The last couple games, I just havent felt like myself. But today I did." Chicago, which lost its fourth straight, is already 10 1/2 games back in the NL Central behind division-leading Milwaukee, which has the majors best record at 18-6. "The teams rolling right now and just kind of riding the waves, going with it, and playing outstanding ball," Wood said. But the win was overshadowed somewhat by the injury to Segura, adding to whats already been a tough start of the season. Segura, who was hitting .239, also missed the last two weeks of spring training with sore right shoulder. Braun has also had somewhat of a tricky start after returning to the lineup this season following a 65-game doping suspension. Braun is hitting .318, but hes also been dealing with a lingering right hand injury that carried over from last year. NOTES: Chicago placed struggling reliever Jose Veras on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique. RHP Brian Schlitter was recalled from Triple-A Iowa, and arrived in time for the game. Veras had a 15.88 ERA and blew both of his save opportunities. ... The Cubs have lost seven of eight to Milwaukee dating to last season. ... Rodriguez picked up his 315th save, three behind Rick Aguilera for 17th place on the career list. ... Chicago will try to avoid a sweep by sending Jason Hammel (3-1) to mound Sunday against Wily Peralta (3-0). 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