VORSTELLUNGEN » key victories from Netherlands or the United S

CHICAGO -- Already assured a playoff spot, the Pittsburgh Pirates are pushing for even more. Gerrit Cole threw six strong innings and the Pirates took over the NL wild-card lead, beating the Chicago Cubs 8-2 Tuesday night. The Pirates moved one game ahead of Cincinnati, which lost to the Mets 4-2. Pittsburgh remained two games behind NL Central-leading St. Louis. One night after clinching their first post-season spot in 21 years, Cole and the Pirates showed no signs of losing momentum. Cole hit a two-run single against Chris Rusin (2-6), Pedro Alvarez drove in three runs and Jordy Mercer homered. "I had every confidence that wed go out and play a good ballgame," manager Clint Hurdle said. "The men are focused, theyre having fun and the opportunity to gain this kind of experience, weve been getting in all year long, this has added to it." Pittsburgh is trying to add to whats already been a breakout season, and Cole did his part. Cole (10-7) won his fourth straight start, giving up two runs and seven hits. He struck out six and walked one and became the first Pittsburgh rookie since Josh Fogg in 2002 to win at least 10 games. "It just kind of felt like I had different stuff every inning. It was weird," Cole said. "The pace of the game was slow. Im not going to complain about scoring a lot of runs, thats for sure, but it was definitely a new challenge with the cold weather and the long innings. I had to do some different things in there. "It was great to be able to learn from that and take that into some really meaningful games," he said. Chicago started the bottom of the second inning with three consecutive hits from Dioner Navarro, Nate Schierholtz and Donnie Murphy, but a baserunning error and double play helped Cole hold the Cubs off the scoreboard. Schierholtz was tagged between first and second on his single when Navarro stopped at second, and Brian Bogusevic grounded into an inning-ending double play to keep the Cubs scoreless. The Cubs tried to rally in the sixth, scoring when Mercer mishandled Anthony Rizzos bases-loaded grounder to shortstop and cutting Pittsburghs lead to 6-1. But Cole struck out Navarro and pinch-hitter Luis Valbuena before Donnie Murphy flied out deep on Coles 34th pitch of the inning and his last one of the night. "Those are the experiences for growth you can only get by getting the opportunity to compete, and to get the last fly ball out. He spilled the tank out there and it again it shows that theres fight in that young man," Hurdle said. "He doesnt have to show up with every weapon sharp to go out and pitch competitively and pitch good enough to win," he said, The Cubs, meanwhile, havent been good enough to win for most of this season. They lost for the 11th time in 14 games, and their 50th defeat at home set a team record. Chicago plays its Wrigley Field finale Wednesday. "To lose that many games at home, its something you got to stay away from. For whatever reason, we got to score more runs at home and do something at home," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "This year has just been tough, just seem to do more things on the road than we have at home." Rusin lost his third straight decision. Alvarez opened the scoring when his second-inning double to right got stuck in the ivy, driving in Marlon Byrd. With two outs, Cole singled home Gaby Sanchez and Alvarez. Mercer hit a solo shot in the third, connecting for his seventh homer and first since Aug. 22. "Were still trying to win our division. Thats what were shooting for, so were trying to win out here and just keep going for the next four games," star outfielder Andrew McCutchen said. NOTES: Hurdle said struggling All-Star Jeff Locke wont pitch Sunday against Cincinnati, and said Cole could "potentially" start that day while RHP Charlie Morton would be on his regular rest Saturday. But Hurdle didnt formally announce his starters after A.J. Burnett on Friday. Locke is 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in four September starts. ... Logan Watkins started at second base, and Sveum said Darwin Barney was just getting a day off and would be back in the lineup Wednesday. Barney is hitting .156 in 20 September games. ... McCutchen didnt seem to enjoy too much of the champagne from Monday night. "After a while, its a little too cold for me, but Ill take it," he said. "I think next time, we should just leave it hot." ... The pitching matchup Wednesday is Pittsburgh LHP Francisco Liriano (16-7, 2.88) against Chicago RHP Jake Arrieta (3-2, 3.94). Barcelona Jerseys . Join World Soccer Pickem 2014 for your chance to win $5,500 in cash prizes by picking the winner of each game all the way through to the tournament final. Will you ride a favourite such as Spain or Germany, or cast your lot with an underdog like Ivory Coast or Mexico? Perhaps key victories from Netherlands or the United States will be your key to victory. Jasper Cillessen Jersey . -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. http://www.fcbarcelonapro.com/Kids-Xavi-Hernandez-Jersey/. Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. Ousmane Dembele Jersey . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract. Paco Alcacer Jersey . The Leafs were back on the ice Wednesday following an 10-day break. It apparently wasnt long enough, as Team Canadas 2-1 win over Latvia didnt conclude before the Leafs began practice. "I was thinking we might get a little delay, but it was nice to get out there," said Tyler Bozak of watching Wednesdays game.MINSK, Belarus -- Defending champion Sweden made the first step in its title defence with a 3-0 victory over Denmark at the ice hockey world championship on Saturday. Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund scored twice in the opening period when the Swedes displayed fast, well organized play that was tough for Denmark to match. "It was nice to have a few goals right away, keep the pressure off and the nerves away," Backlund said. Another Scandinavian superpower, Finland, began its campaign with an upset 3-2 loss to Latvia and Norway blanked Italy 3-0 while Germany prevailed in a shootout to beat Kazakhstan 2-1. Backlund scored his first for Sweden when defenceman Markus Lauridsen deflected his shot to the net with his skate and struck again by precisely directing Joakim Lindstroms slap shot. Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist added the third on a solo effort after intercepting a pass. "Once we got up two to nothing we stopped taking the puck to the net," Nyquist said. "We tried to make too many passes instead of shooting the puck." Latvia failed to capitalize on its second-period power plays when a total of seven Finns were in the penalty box. Finland used its only power play in that period to go 2-1 up with a goal by Petri Kontiola. Kristaps Sotnieks tied the match for Latvia -- the quarterfinalist in the Sochi Winter Olympics -- in the third before Arturs Kulda netted the winner on a power play. It was the first victorry for Latvia over Finland at the worlds.dddddddddddd. Thomas Oppenheimer scored the decisive goal in the shootout to give Germany the win. Germany outshot its opponent 47-20 but Kazakhstan went ahead 1-0 after a goal from Andrei Gavrilin. The Germans answered through Matthias Plachta at the end of the first period. "I have to look at the positive," German coach Pat Cortina said. "We put the puck to the net and that is extremely important for our team." Niklas Roest opened the scoring in the first period for Norway, Morten Ask made it 2-0 midway through the game and captain Anders Bastiansen rounded off the victory on a breakaway in the third. "I tried to shoot early to surprise the goalie and it went in, so I was really happy," Bastiansen said. "We did a good job. We won and thats the most important thing." Goaltender Lars Haugen made 15 saves for the shutout, but needed help from his posts on two shots by defenceman Daniel Sullivan in the second. "We had a little difficulty in the beginning, adjusting to the speed," Italy coach Tom Pokel said. "However, as the game went on we got better and better. So it was a good game for us." Italy and Kazakhstan are both newcomers to the top division this year. Later Saturday, Canada hopes to rebound from Fridays 3-2 loss to France with a win against Slovakia, while the United States faces Switzerland a day after it routed host Belarus 6-1. 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