Off-Topic » e able to execute with maximum effort to give ourselves a

CHICAGO -- Jason Hammel is certain the Cubs are better than their record so far. Hammel pitched seven strong innings, Mike Olt hit a three-run home run and Nate Schierholtz drove in a pair of early runs to lead the Cubs to a 9-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "With a doubt," he said. "Weve played a lot of close ballgames where we could have come out on the other end. Were a young team and well figure out how to win those ball games pretty soon." Hammel (3-1) allowed just one run and four hits without walking a batter in seven innings to lower his ERA to 2.60. "Very nice job," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "He got some groundball double plays when he needed to. Made some pitches when he needed to. It was pretty efficient." Olt still is hitting below .200 for the season (.195), but has four homers and nine runs batted in despite not playing every day. The Cubs, whove won three of four to improve to 7-12, have won back-to-back games for the first time this season. They last won consecutive games on Sept. 9 and 10 of last season against the Cincinnati Reds. Their last consecutive home wins came on Sept. 4 and 6 against Miami and Milwaukee. Brandon McCarthy (0-4) lowered his ERA from 7.11 to 6.23 because only one of five runs allowed was earned. He yielded seven hits in five innings. Arizona has dropped four straight and has the worst record in the majors at 5-18. "It was a carbon copy of the game (Monday)," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "We made an error there, gave them life and then Brandon got behind in the count 3-1 and Olt hit a ball down over the plate, a pretty big pop into that wind. "We didnt mount any pressure again offensively so I dont know what to tell ya," he said. In the third inning, Luis Valbuena stroked a one-out double to left-centre field and then scored two batters later on a two-out single by Schierholtz. In the fifth, Schierholtz drove in Valbuena again, this time on a sacrifice fly to right field, for a 2-0 lead. Valbuena led off the inning with a single, went to second on a groundout and then reached third as Arizona second baseman Martin Prado dropped Anthony Rizzos grounder for an error. The Cubs took advantage. Given the extra out, Starlin Castro singled to put two runners on and Olt followed with a homer into the right field bleachers for a 5-0 lead. "I think it probably helped me," Olt said of the wind. "I wasnt trying to hit a home run. I was just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard." Arizona finally got on the board against Hammel in the sixth when Tuffy Gosewisch led off with a homer. The Cubs then broke things open with four runs in the bottom of the eighth, while the Diamondbacks got one back in the ninth. NOTES: Wednesday is the 100th anniversary of the first game at Wrigley Field, which then was known as Weeghman Park, between the Chicago Federals and Kansas City Packers of the Federal League. The Cubs will wear replica Federal uniforms for the game, while Arizona will wear Packers uniforms. . Diamondbacks OF Mark Trumbo didnt start because of soreness in his left foot. The injury occurred late in Mondays game. . Now that RHP Jose Veres no longer is closing games, Renteria will hunt for opportunities to get Veres on the mound so he can work out his problems. "It could be at any moment," Renteria said. "We could be up by 10 (or) down by 10. He needs to pitch. Hes talked about he wants to get back on the mound and throw." . LHP Wade Miley (2-2) is scheduled to face Chicago RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-2) on Wednesday. Cheap Asics Shoes Ireland .com) - In the absence of Dwight Howard, Donatas Motiejunas had a career night to keep the Houston Rockets winning streak alive. Asics Ireland Sale .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. http://www.wholesaleasicsireland.com/. The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said. Wholesale Asics Shoes Ireland . The top-ranked Djokovic also beat Gael Monfils and then routed Roger Federer en route to his first Abu Dhabi title. "Its always great to win a title. This is the best way to start the 2012 season," Djokovic said. Asics Ireland Outlet . - On the night Dirk Nowitzki overtook Dominique Wilkins on the career scoring list, Brandan Wright was a human highlight film all by himself.OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder guard Derek Fisher has played more playoff games than anyone in history. He says the Western Conference finals between the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, filled with major strategy shifts and home blowouts, has produced one of the wildest series hes been involved in. San Antonio leads 3-2 and can close out it out Saturday in Oklahoma City. "Theres no script for this," Fisher said. "You can try to set expectations, and everybody can sit around and try and predict whats going to happen and which team is going to come out on top, and its just impossible. Thats what makes sports sports, and why people are so excited about either being there or watching it, because you never know whats going to happen." San Antonios Gregg Popovich and Oklahoma Citys Scott Brooks have one-upped each other with shrewd moves during the series, and the scoreboard has tipped dramatically with each change. Oklahoma City came up with the first major lineup changes in Game 3. Defensive wiz Serge Ibaka returned to Oklahoma Citys starting lineup after suffering what was thought to be a season-ending left calf strain and Reggie Jackson moved into the starting lineup to help the Thunder win Game 3, 107-96, and Game 4, 105-92. In Game 5 in San Antonio, the Spurs decision to go with perimeter-shooting post players alongside Tim Duncan helped the teams floor spacing, and the Spurs rolled to a 117-89 win. Matt Bonner got his first start of the season, and his presence helped Duncan get off to a fast start. Boris Diaw started the second half and scored seven points in the third quarter to help the Spurs take a 20-point lead at the end of the period. Popovichs move forced Ibaka, the leagues leading shot blocker during the regular season, away from the basket, and the Spurs perimeter players had an easier time getting to the hoop. "The adjustments that the coaches made were very efficient tonight," Diaw said after the game. "We tried to space the floor a little more. We camee back to the way we were aggressive in the first two games.dddddddddddd Going from good to great. Thats what Pop has asked all year, thats what weve been doing all year." When Brooks was asked if he might start Ibaka at centre to prevent the Spurs from pulling him away from the basket, Brooks ruled nothing out. "Anythings possible," he said. "We just have to, whoever we put out there, we just have to play better." Thunder forward Kevin Durant said lineup changes, though important, are secondary to effort. He said Oklahoma City did not play with enough intensity in Game 5. "Schemes and Xs and Os, it all goes out the door," he said. "Weve just got to play harder. They did last game, so weve got to match up." Brooks said the key for Oklahoma City is defence. San Antonio has shot at least 50 per cent from the field in all three of its wins. If the Thunder dont get stops, they cant get into their dangerous fast break attack. "We know their plays, they know our plays, and we just have to be able to execute with maximum effort to give ourselves a chance to get a stop," Brooks said. "Thats what it comes down to." The lineup changes have coincided with venue changes. The home teams have won every game in the series by at least nine points, and by an average of 20.4 per game. Popovich was at a loss to explain why the series has played out this way. "It seems like the home team each time looks to have the greater passion or physicality," he said. "Thats hard to measure because both teams want to win just as bad as the other." Durant said the effort must be there Saturday night or the trend of home blowouts -- and Oklahoma Citys season -- will end. "We know that its a situation where we lose, we go home, and nobody wants to do that, so we just leave it all out there and whatever happens we live with," Durant said. "Most of the time when we play extremely hard, play well, play together, we come out on top." ' ' '