best year. Ive played well against the top-10 players and

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs will experience the thrill of winning the National League Central title in unusual fashion after they host the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday afternoon.Milwaukee won the series opener 5-4 on Thursday night, preventing the Cubs from clinching before a sellout crowd at Wrigley Field.Chicago, though, wrapped up its first division title since 2008 when the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the San Francisco Giants 6-2 about 1 1/2 hours later. The Cubs decided not to hang around the clubhouse to await the Cardinals outcome, instead choosing to wait another day to celebrate.The Cubs boast three starting pitchers with legitimate cases for NL Cy Young Award attention, but the Brewers came to town this week with some pitching that has even surpassed Chicagos of late.Brewers right-hander Chase Anderson (8-11, 4.53 ERA) may be emblematic of the improvement as he brings a 4-1 record and 2.30 ERA over his last nine starts into the Friday game.Since Aug. 22, Milwaukee pitchers have posted a big league-leading 2.73 ERA over the past 23 games, allowing 40 runs in 131 2/3 innings.That narrowly tops second-place Chicago, which has a 2.90 ERA in the same span followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers (3.05).Its certainly a positive side. I think it tells you that its in there and that we can have above average pitching here, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. The 25 games is not 162 games and thats what this team over here (the Cubs) have done. ... (But) knowing that weve got it and weve got six guys doing it is a good thing for us.Anderson is 8-11 with a 4.53 ERA as he makes his 29th appearance and 28th start of the season.He started Saturday in St. Louis and earned a no-decision in a loss, allowing three hits in 5 2/3 shutout innings. Anderson is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts against Chicago -- both this season.The Cubs counter with right-hander John Lackey, who makes his third start since an August stay on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. He missed 19 games after being sidelined on Aug. 19 (retroactive to Aug. 14).Lackey is 0-1 since coming back. He didnt get the decision in a five-inning start Sept. 4 in the Cubs 3-2 victory over the Giants and allowed two runs over six innings in a 2-1 Chicago loss in Houston on Sunday.Lackey is 9-8 with a 3.35 ERA as he makes his 27th start of the season and 15th at home. He is 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA in 10 career starts against Milwaukee, including 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts this season.Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he has no concerns whether Lackey is fully recovered from his shoulder issues.No, hes been good, Maddon said. Ive not noticed anything. Hes been fine.Chicago brings two of its aces back around to conclude the series.Right-hander Jake Arrieta (17-6, 2.91 ERA) goes against Brewers rookie Zach Davies (10-7, 3.87) on Saturday. Davies and fellow rookie Junior Guerra have combined for 19 wins this season, the third most combined by two rookies in franchise history.Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (15-7, 2.03) who pitched eight no-hit innings in his last outing, pitches Sunday against righty Wily Peralta (6-10, 5.42). Cheap Hockey Jerseys . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Wholesale Hockey Jerseys . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. http://www.cheaphockeychina.com/cheap-arizona-coyotes-jerseys-china_107g.html . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Hockey Jerseys China . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Discount NHL Jerseys . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Kei Nishikori is targeting a grand slam breakthrough next season after enjoying the best year of his career so far.The world No. 5 claimed an ATP Tour title, Olympic bronze, and recorded a career-high 58 wins, but could only manage one grand slam semifinal at the US Open.A year that I won most matches does carry some significance but what is important is how much I can win at big tournaments, Nishikori was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.Result-wise this has been my best year. Ive played well against the top-10 players and have been winning against the likes of [Rafa] Nadal and [Andy] Murray, who I couldnt beat before.Im making fewer mistakes as I get older. I hope to keep building, bit-by-bit.Nishikori kicked off his year by reaching the last eight at the Australian Open before winning his only title of the year at the Memphis Open.However, his results at the FFrench Open and Wimbledon were less impressive as he failed to make it beyond the fourth round at either event.ddddddddddddhe Japanese No. 1 picked up bronze in the mens singles at the Rio Olympics, defeating 2008 champion Rafael Nadal in the third-place play-off. He followed that up with a last-four appearance at Flushing Meadows, going down to eventual champion Stan Wawrinka.Nishikori qualified comfortably for the year-end ATP World Tour Finals, but was defeated by Novak Djokovic in a 6-1, 6-1 semifinal thrashing.Im confident I have the ability to challenge for world No. 3 and 4, Nishikori added. I need to be more cautious while determining which points in the match I have to focus and how I can win break points in a more assured manner. ' ' '