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). Wholesale Jordan Shoes . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Wholesale Authentic Jordans .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. http://www.australiaairjordancheap.com/ . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Jordan Shoes Australia .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Cheap Jordans Shoes Wholesale . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. A look at whats happening all around the majors today:---CHAMPAGNE ON ICEChasing their first World Series championship since 1908, the Chicago Cubs are beginning to clear some hurdles along the way. After clinching a playoff spot Wednesday, the Cubs can wrap up their first NL Central title since 2008 with a win at home over Milwaukee or a St. Louis loss in San Francisco. Chicago has the best record in the majors at 93-52.LETS GET WILDAll-Star arms are on the mound at AT&T Park for the opener of a critical, four-game series between NL wild-card contenders. Adam Wainwright (11-8, 4.45 ERA) starts for the Cardinals against Johnny Cueto (15-5, 2.90) and the skidding Giants, just swept at home by San Diego. San Francisco leads the wild-card race by a half-game over the Mets, with St. Louis another half-game back.BUMPY ROADThe path to the playoffs is about to get a lot tougher for the Yankees. New York begins a rugged road trip when Masahiro Tanaka (13-4, 3.04 ERA) starts at Fenway Park against Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (2-7, 4.70). The Yankees play four games in Boston, three at Tampa Bay and four in Toronto on an 11-game trek that matches their longest in 10 seasons. New York has dropped three of four and is two games behind Toronto for the second AL wild card.UH, OHDesperately trying to stay in the wild-card hunt, the Houston Astros are hoping injuries to Jose Altuvve and Alex Bregman arent too serious.dddddddddddd A top contender for AL MVP, Altuve left Wednesday nights game against Texas with right oblique discomfort. The star second baseman began the night leading the league in hitting with a .340 average to go with 24 home runs, 94 RBI, 27 stolen bases and 99 runs. Bregman, a hyped rookie third baseman, left in the sixth with right hamstring discomfort. Both players were to have a full evaluation, manager A.J. Hinch said.HOT CORNERToronto third baseman Josh Donaldson is waiting for results of an MRI on his sore right hip. Last years AL MVP has missed three straight games but said he hopes to play in the series opener at the Los Angeles Angels. J.A. Happ (18-4) starts for the slumping Blue Jays, who have lost seven of 10. They are three games behind first-place Boston in the AL East and hold a slim lead for the leagues second wild card.PERFECT ENCOREDodgers lefty Rich Hill (12-3, 1.80 ERA) starts at last-place Arizona as Los Angeles continues its 10-game trip with a five-game lead in the NL West over San Francisco. Hill has won nine straight decisions, and was pulled with a perfect game in progress after seven innings at Miami in his most recent outing because of concerns about a recurring blister. ' ' '