Hamel Throws Complete Game in Cubs Win

CHICAGO -- Cole Hamels did his job as the Chicago Cubs beat Cincinnati, 7-1 in action Thursday.

Hamels went the distance, allowing eight hits, one earned run, two walks and striking out seven. He went into the ninth loading the bases with one out before getting out of the scrape with a game-ending double play.

Hamels is now 4-0 since he joined the Cubs and sports a 0.79 ERA. That's just three earned runs in the 34 innings he's pitched.

Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo were also on but from the batter's box. After Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Anthony Rizzo came to bat with one on and launched a home run, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead. That went to 3-1 in the third when Baez nailed a 481-foot shot, the longest at Wrigley Field this year.

Rizzo now has 21 home runs and 81 RBI. Along with Rizzo's home run came a single and he finished with three RBI. Baez had a single, double and his home run with one RBI. Ian Happ delivered a double while Daniel Murphy, Ben Zobrist and Victor Caratini tallied two singles apiece. Caratini had two RBI and Zobrist one.

The Cubs now have a three-game lead in the Central Division and stand at 73-53 overall, the best in the National League.

Giants' Holland Apologizes

San Francisco Giants pitcher Derek Holland is apologizing for his appearance on Wednesday's episode of "Intentional Talk" on the MLB Network. Holland appeared with Giants massage therapist Haro Ogawa and did a fake Asian accent and he later apologized and took full responsibility.

Thursday, August 23 Scoreboard

Chicago Cubs 7, Cincinnati 1

Detroit 7, Chicago White Sox 2

Philadelphia 2, Washington 0

Boston 7, Cleveland 0

San Francisco 3, New York Mets 1

Colorado 4, San Diego 3

Tampa Bay 4, Kansas City 3

Atlanta 5, Miami 0

Minnesota 6, Oakland 4

Friday, August 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

Boston at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Oakland at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

St. Louis at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Seattle at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 9:07 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9;10 p.m.

Texas at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday, August 25 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Yankees at Baltimore, noon

Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Texas at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 3:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Toronto, 3:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 5:10 p.m.

Boston at Tampa Bay, 5:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Oakland at Minnesota, 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 6:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

Seattle at Arizona, 7:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 8:07 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:10 p.m.

Sunday, August 26 Schedule (All Times Central)

Philadelphia at Toronto, 12:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 12:10 p.m.

Boston at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Miami, 12:01 p.m.

Oakland at MInnesota, 1;01 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Clevelanda t Kansas City, 1:15 p[.m.

Cincinnati at Chicago  Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

St. Louis at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

Texas at San Francisco, 3 p.m.

Houston at Los Angeles Angels, 3:07 p.m.

Seattle at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:01 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore, 7 p.m.