CHICAGO -- Kyle Hendricks began the season as the Cubs No. 5 starter. Hes on pace to finish it as the major leagues ERA leader and -- if manager Joe Maddon has his way -- potentially with an even bigger trophy.Hendricks threw seven dominant innings to lower the majors best ERA to 2.09 and Anthony Rizzo homered to lead the Cubs past the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Tuesday night for Chicagos 21st victory in August.He has to be in Cy Young contention, Maddon said. Put the radar gun in your back pocket and look at what hes doing. There has to be strong consideration, not just consideration.Hendricks (13-7) allowed three hits and has given up three or fewer runs in 18 straight starts. He didnt allow a hit until Gregory Polancos bloop to left-center in the fifth and faced the minimum 17 batters until John Jasos two-out double in the sixth.Not bad for a guy who doesnt often hit 90 mph with his fastball.Hes not the guy whos getting away with plus-plus stuff. Hes just executing his game plan and he knows how to attack hitters, Rizzo said. He studies hitters and he went to Dartmouth and he has a really good education. So he out-tricks guys.Rizzo belted a two-run homer off Chad Kuhl (3-2) in the first and Miguel Montero added an RBI single an inning later as the Cubs improved to 84-47 despite only five hits.Carl Edwards Jr. worked the eighth and Aroldis Chapman hit 103 mph in a perfect ninth to finished the four-hitter for his 31st save. The Cubs improved to 21-6 this month, one win shy of the best August in franchise history set in 1932.Hendricks is well ahead of No. 2 Madison Bumgarner of San Francisco (2.49) in the ERA race. He only struck out four, but the Pirates had little solid contact as he kept them off-balance with a mix of pitches, including two- and four-seam fastballs.My fastball command was really good, Hendricks said. My curveball may have been the best its been all year. I threw a lot of good ones today.Andrew McCutchens one-out single in the seventh was the other hit off the right-hander. Hendricks is seeking to become the first Cubs pitcher to win the major league ERA title since Bill Lee in 1938.Since Sept. 1, 2015, Hendricks is 18-7 with a 2.25 ERA, Cy Young Award-type numbers.Where I was at last year and my goals coming into this year, what I was trying to do, I definitely didnt see myself as being a part of that, Hendricks said. I had my sights set a little lower.Kuhl, in his ninth major league start, allowed three runs and four hits in five innings as the Pirates lost their second straight after winning four in a row.Jordy Mercer doubled with two outs off Edwards in the eighth before pinch-hitter Matt Joyce flied deep to center to end Pittsburghs best threat.The Pirates fell 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild-card as they flailed away against Hendricks.The command, the execution, manager Clint Hurdle said. I thought I was back in 1987 with Greg Maddux on the mound.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (elbow inflammation) played catch, a day after being put on the 15-day disabled list. He could return as soon as Sept. 9. Hopefully, (the rehab) will go quickly, Cole said. . INF Jung Ho Kang (shoulder), working out with Indianapolis, is expected to begin an official rehab stint with the Triple-A team this week.Cubs: RHP John Lackey (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Thursday. If it goes well, he could start Sunday vs. San Francisco.SUSPECT FIELDA large chunk of the outfield in center and right fields was re-sodded and looks chewed up after Wrigley Field hosted Pearl Jam and Billy Joel concerts while the Cubs were away.Its like a field after a concert, RF Jason Heyward said.UP NEXTRHP Jason Hammel (13-7, 3.21) was moved up to start Wednesday nights series finale against RHP Ryan Vogelsong (3-3, 3.02). LHP Mike Montgomery was pushed to Thursday. Hammel was lifted after allowing three runs in 2 1/3 innings Saturday. He wants to get back out there, Maddon said. cheap jerseys from china . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. cheap jerseys usa . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. http://www.cheapjerseysnflchinasupply.net/ . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. cheap nfl jerseys . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. wholesale jerseys . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. LOS ANGELES -- The NBAs top-rated defense and an unblemished road record have the Los Angeles Clippers sitting pretty and fashioning the leagues best record.The Clippers (9-1) will go for their seventh win in a row Monday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets.Over the weekend, Los Angeles capped a two-game trip with back-to-back wins at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday and at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. By beating the Thunder, the Clippers avenged their lone loss, an 85-83 decision at home on Nov. 2.Although the Thunder snapped the Clippers string of holding seven consecutive opponents less than 100 points in a 110-108 setback Saturday, Los Angeles wouldnt be deterred en route to its fifth straight decision away from home in a 119-105 romp over the Timberwolves.The Clippers are off to a franchise-best start and lead the league in several defensive categories, including points allowed (91.5 per game), defensive efficiency (92.7) and opponents shooting percentage (40.6 percent).Offensively, they are averaging 107 points, a differential of 15.1, which also is tops in the NBA.I knew wed be one of the top offenses in the league. We have so many scorers, said Clippers reserve guard Austin Rivers, according to the Orange County Register. The combination of us fits perfectly. On defense, I didnt know how we were going to be. I thought we would maybe struggle.Brooklyn (4-5) has struggled defensively. The Nets are ranked 22nd in opponents points (107.6) while scoring 106.3 per game.The Nets have been careless with the basketball, too, committing an aaverage of 17.dddddddddddd1 turnovers. They will attempt to limit those mistakes against a Clippers unit tied with Dallas at third for the least miscues at 11.3 per outing entering Sunday.The Nets kicked off their three-game swing with a 122-104 rout of the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Nets with 20 points and a career-best 13 rebounds in the victory.Its been getting better for me, said Hollis-Jefferson, who is averaging 13 points per game in his last four contests since a scoreless outing against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 2. Finding a peace. Im playing in a happiness out there. Its really helped me to contribute to the team like I know how to. My teammates are encouraging me to be aggressive.The Nets stopover at Staples features back-to-back games against the Clippers and the Lakers on Tuesday before they wrap up their journey at Oklahoma City on Friday.The Nets will be without guards Jeremy Lin (hamstring) and Isaiah Whitehead (concussion). In their absences, Brooklyn has gotten a boost from guard Sean Kilpatrick, who started for the second time this season and produced 19 points and nine boards against the Suns.Kilpatrick is averaging 15.8 points, second on the team behind center Brook Lopez (19.4 points).Blake Griffin leads the Clippers at 20.2 points, while Chris Paul is averaging 19 points and a league-high 2.7 steals. Center DeAndre Jordan averages 10.8 points and 12.2 rebounds (sixth best). Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '