CHICAGO -- As the Cincinnati Reds wind down another losing season, manager Bryan Price is hoping todays pain is tomorrows gain.The thing is about September in our situation is, were looking at some of the younger players we brought up and sometimes there are painful lessons, 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.The latest tough lesson came Tuesday night.Jon Lester overcame an 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 Cincinnati.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 stayed in after Joey Vottos comebacker in the sixth left him with a welt on the wrist of his glove hand.Its fine, Lester said. Its my right hand. I dont need it. All its there for is to hold the glove.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 manager Joe Maddon quickly ran out of the dugout after Lester was struck by Vottos hard-hit ball.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 plans to retire at the end of the season, lumbered around 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. I figured if I went headfirst it would be considered a slide.Smith, making a spot start in a bullpen game for the Reds, left after allowing three hits over three innings.He did fine, Price said. Really, the only mistake was the first-pitch fastball to Lester. We know theres a pitcher hitting and the Cubs pitchers will be aggressive on a first-pitch fastball.Said Smith: To get the chance to go against him and go against that team is a huge opportunity for me. I just went out there and tried to make the best of it.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.We were hoping Wandy would give us a bit more than he did, Price said.With Washington losing 1-0 at Miami, the Cubs opened an eight-game lead over the Nationals with 11 left.CY YOUNG WORTHY?Lester lowered his ERA to 2.36 and improved his chances of winning the NL Cy Young Award. He twice finished fourth (2010 and 2014) for the AL prize.Its a huge, huge honor to even be in consideration, he said.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.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). Authentic Ecco Shoes Cheap . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ecco Shoes For Sale .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. http://www.eccocheap.com/ . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. Cheap Ecco Shoes China . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. Wholesale Ecco Shoes Free Shipping . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91.Brian Hughes was the man to follow at Musselburgh on Monday after the jockey claimed a magnificent five winners at combined odds of 899-1 and finished second in the other two races. Mitcd (2-1 favourite) set the ball rolling in the opening handicap hurdle, after which Thankyou Very Much justified 6-4 favouritism in the extended two-mile handicap chase.Hughes completed a hat-trick in the two-mile-six-furlong novice hurdle when Jimmy Moffatts Mondlicht won at odds of 4-1. Hughes then made it four victories from the first four contests when Blue Kascade delivered as the 2-1 favourite in the three-mile handicap chase, before finding just one too good on each on his next two mounts on the seven-race card.His day was completed in style when 7-1 chance Smart Ruler landed the concluding Racing UK Now In HD! Handicap Hurdle, giving Moffatt a double.Hughes has been in fine form this autumn and last month secured four victories at a meeting at Carlisle, the first four-timer of his career at the time.Bar one losing ride at Cheltenham on Sunday, in the past fortnight Hughes has only returned home winnerless on one other occasion.ddddddddddddIm a bit embarrassed about it all to be honest, said Hughes.I just keep thinking something is going to go wrong soon because everything has been going so well for me lately.Im in a very fortunate position, the people I ride for have their horses in good form and Im having an unbelievable amount of luck.This game is a great leveller, just look at my good friend Freddy Tylicki to see how quickly it can go wrong.He added: Malcolm Jefferson is my main backer and he has his horses running out of their skins, and my agent Richard Hale is doing a fantastic job.A lot of lads in the weighing room would win on the horses Im winning on, so Im fortunate.I just hope it continues as long as possible, but in this game one minute you are up and the next you are down. 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