ST. LOUIS -- Jon Lester gave the Chicago Cubs a much-needed boost.Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of home runs and Lester pitched eight dominant innings as the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-0 on Wednesday to clinch a playoff berth.The Cubs improved their major league-best record to 93-52, and their magic number is one to clinch their first NL Central title since 2008. They can wrap up the division crown Thursday night with a win at home over Milwaukee or a St. Louis loss in San Francisco.Chicago secured at least a wild card because the four-game series between the Cardinals and Giants makes it impossible for both to catch the Cubs in the standings.Ill tell you, if you were in that dugout at the beginning of the game, the guys were dead on their feet, Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. To play the kind of game we did today -- really hot, last game of a long road trip -- I give them a ton of credit. (Lester) really played into all that.The Cardinals remained a half-game behind the New York Mets and one game behind the Giants for the two NL wild cards.Lester (17-4) allowed four baserunners, none of which got past first. Cubs catcher David Ross threw out two Cardinals trying to steal second and Lester faced just two batters over the minimum.Cardinals outfielder Brandon Moss called Lester one of the best in the game.Today was one of those days were he had both working and he wasnt missing over the middle and he was even throwing some curveballs and change-ups to keep you off of everything, Moss said.Lester improved to 7-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his last nine starts. He also helped his cause at the plate with an RBI single in the third.Im just trying to give a good at-bat, Lester said. He elevated a changeup for me and I got it far enough out there to give us a run.Rizzos two-run homer in the ninth gave him 31 homers and 101 RBI on the season. He is the second Cubs left-handed hitter in franchise history to post multiple 30 home run and 100 RBI seasons (Billy Williams did it in 1965, 1970 and 1972).Billy Williams, his numbers speak for himself and hes done it so many years, so its a really good feeling, Rizzo said.Ross two-run homer in the fifth snapped a 0-for-8 streak and it was his first home run since Aug. 17.St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez (14-8) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings.Martinez started off strong, striking out the side in the first and four of the first six batters he faced. Five of his nine strikeouts came on called third strikes. He entered the game having allowed just 12 homers this season and his home run per nine innings average of 0.63 was second in the National League to the Mets Noah Syndergaard (0.52).Ross home run was just third by a right-handed batter against Martinez, who had his four winning decisions streak snapped.The loss dropped the Cardinals home record to 33-41, assuring St. Louis of its first losing record at home since 1999 when it played in Busch Stadium II.While clinching at least a wild card spot is nice, the Cubs look forward to wrapping up the division at home this weekend, preferably tomorrow.Lets do it, Maddon said. The sooner, the better. Then we can make our appropriate plans going forward and really set things up to make our best push.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (right shoulder inflammation) was activated from the disabled list and will pitch out of the bullpen ... OF Matt Holliday (fractured right thumb) is expected to take live batting practice later this week. . RHP Trevor Rosenthal (right shoulder inflammation) could be activated from the DL tomorrow.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.67 ERA) will kick off a four-game series as Chicago hosts Milwaukee on Thursday. The Brewers counter with RHP Jimmy Nelson (14-7, 4.42 ERA)Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (11-8, 4.45) will look to build on a one run, eight inning performance in his last start as St. Louis travels to San Francisco for a four-game series Thursday. RHP Johnny Cueto (15-5, 2.90) will start for the Giants. Nmd r2 Nere . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. Scarpe Adidas Stan Smith . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. http://www.scarpeadidasofferte.it/scarpe-nmd-r1.html . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. Adidas Nmd r1 Grigie . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Adidas Yeezy Italia . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. ATLANTA -- Manager Don Mattingly says newly acquired closer Fernando Rodney will work primarily as a setup man for A.J. Ramos in the Miami Marlins bullpen.Rodney joined his new team on Friday, a day after San Diego traded him for a minor league pitcher. The Marlins view Rodney as adding strength to an already solid group of relievers.Mattingly will occasionally give him a chance to close, but the job still belongs to Ramos.Talking with him, he was great in giving him our reasoning, Mattingly said. Like I told him, if he was the guy here and had not blown one, I would do the same thing for him. I think he totally understands.Rodneys 253 career saves rank fifth among active pitchers. The 39-year-old has converted all 17 of his chances this year, and his 0.31 ERA leads the majors among qualifying relievers.Rodney was all smiles as he spoke with reporters before Fridays game against the Atlanta Braves. He playfully seemed more concerned about having to conform to Mattinglys rule banning facial hair and shave his beard.He was still holding out hope it wont have to go.If thats the rule they have here, I like to play baseball and have fun, Rodney said. Im not worried about shaving. I want to have fun with my teammates, play good, play hard. Thats it.Ramos has been Miamis closer since May 2015. His 24 saves rank second in the majors, and he has converted 33 straight chances since last September.With A.J. and what hes been able to do -- hes been perfect -- it would be hard for me to taake that out of our mix, Mattingly said.dddddddddddd Our back end has been good. Fernando makes us better.Mattingly told Rodney that he will get some chances to close when Ramos has worked consecutive days.Fernando has a track record obviously of being a big-time guy, Mattingly said. Hes been there, done that.David Phelps will now primarily work the seventh inning and Kyle Barraclough the sixth inning.Mattingly indicated that Ramos, Phelps and Barraclough welcomed the news of Rodneys addition.I think these guys, for the most part, like knowing when theyre going to pitch and in what situations, Mattingly said. We cant always give them exactly when every time, but I think they like to know when the phone rings, whos getting up for the most part.The Marlins are Rodneys seventh team and sixth since 2011, but Mattingly believes he will fit in easily.All the people we talked to love this guy, Mattingly said. As a teammate on and off the field, he wants to win. Totally professional. Im excited about having this guy. I think hes going to help our club.Though Mattingly said the beard is coming off, the Marlins will let Rodney keep wearing his cap cocked sideways. The arrow, a celebratory stance he uses after earning a save, is another Rodney staple that stays.Im going to save the arrow for now, Rodney said. If you have a chance, youre going to see a landing. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Authentic Jerseys ' ' '