CHICAGO -- Joey Vottos hard-hit comebacker struck Jon Lester and ricocheted toward first as the left-hander doubled over.Joe Maddon rushed to the mound, uncertain where the ball had hit his star pitcher. But Lester got up and wanted nothing of the visit, brushing off his manager just as he waved off curious reporters after the game.Its my right hand, Lester said. I dont need it.Lester overcame the 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 the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.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 improved to 9-0 since the All-Star break despite the welt on his right wrist.It could have been a lot worse, Maddon said.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 Maddon rushed to check on Lester.Itll be fine, Lester said. Its a long way from the heart.He retired six of his final seven batters before leaving after 97 pitches. Lester took over the NL lead in wins and dropped his ERA to 2.36, helping his Cy Young Award candidacy.His competition includes teammate Kyle Hendricks. Maddon also has to decide which pitcher gets the ball in the playoff opener.If Im the guy, it will definitely be a huge honor, especially with the staff that we have, Lester said. If Im not the guy, tell me when Im going. Ill be there. Ill be ready.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 has said hes retiring at the end of the season, lumbered 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.Smith, making a spot start in a bullpen game for the Reds, left after allowing three hits over three innings.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.Bryant added a diving catch in a rare start in left field as the Cubs beat the last-place Reds for the 12th time in 15 tries.Our situation is were looking at some of the younger players we brought up for September and sometimes there are painful lessons, Reds manager Bryan 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.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.Cubs: RHP Pedro Strop (knee, groin) threw a simulated game without issues and is set to come off the disabled list and pitch Friday, plugging the last postseason bullpen hole. Were expecting to have the time where I can get at least five or six innings in the regular season before playoffs, Strop said.SCRIPTED SERIESMaddon hopes to play scripted games to close the regular season: using relievers regardless of the situation, resting players and possibly having a bullpen game.Were playing the Cardinals this weekend and theres still playoff implications involved, and even with us there are in regards to winning home-field advantage, Maddon said. Hopefully, by next week it may be the time to script things.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). Fake NFL Jerseys For Sale . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Fake NFL Jerseys Cheap . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. https://www.fakenfljerseys.com/ . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Fake NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Fake NFL Jerseys Online . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. CHICAGO -- Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has been ruled out for a game against the New York Rangers due to an upper-body injury.Seabrook got hurt in the second period of Tuesday nights 4-0 victory over Arizona. He awkwardly tumbled into the boards after a hit by Jordan Martinook.Seabrook, who has two goals and 14 assists in 28 games, is day to day. The durable Seabrook missed just one regular-season ggame last season.dddddddddddd.The Blackhawks also were without captain Jonathan Toews and goaltender Corey Crawford for Friday nights matchup with New York. Toews hasnt played since Nov. 23 because of an upper-body injury, and Crawford is recovering from an emergency appendectomy. ' ' '