Cubs Open Up One Game Lead With Win

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs opened up a one-game lead in the National League Central over Milwaukee and the magic number went down to three when they defeated Pittsburgh Thursday, 3-0.

Jon Lester picked up the pitching win, going six innings, allowing three hits, four walks and striking out three. He aided his own cause with a single. He got out of a bases loaded situation in the first inning.

Ben Zobrist, Willson Contreras, Javier Baez and Tommy La Stella all got doubles. David Bote tripled home two runs. Daniel Murphy got the other RBI with a single. Ian Happ added two singles.

 The Cubs could clinch the division Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals with only three games remaining in regular season play. If the Cubs win the Central Division, they won't open play until October 4 at Wrigley Field. If the  Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers finish with the same record, they'll play a tiebreaker Monday at Wrigley Field. The losers would then host the Wild Card  Game Tuesday.

Shortstop Addison Russell will miss the rest of the regular season while Major League Baseball continues to decide whether he’ll be suspended for violating its domestic abuse policy. Major League Baseball originally placed Russell on a week’s administrative leave last Friday.

Sabathia Loses $500,000

New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia got the win in Thursday’s game against the Red Sox, but lost $500,000. Sabathia was ejected from the game in the bottom of the sixth after he drilled Jesus Sucre with a pitch. Had Sabathia pitched through the seventh, he would’ve completed enough innings this season to activate a $500,000 incentive clause in his contract.

Thursday, September 27 Scoreboard

Chicago Cubs 3, Pittsburgh 0

New York Yankees 12,  Tampa Bay 1

Colorado 5, Philadelphia 3

Kansas  City 2, Cleveland 1 (F/10)

Texas 2, Seattle 0

Minnesota 9, Detroit 3

Houston at Baltimore, postponed

Friday, September 28 Schedule (All Times Central)

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 5:40 p.m.

New York Yankees at Boston, 6 p.m.

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

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

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

Cleveland at Kansas City, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Washington at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

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

Arizona at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

Texas at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday, September 29 Schedule (All Times Central)

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 12:05 p.m.

New York Yankees at Boston, 12:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 3 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

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

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

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

Detroit at Milwaukee, 6:10 p.m.

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

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

Washington at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 7:40 p.m.

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

Texas at Seattle, 8:10 p.m.

Sunday, September 30 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 2:05 p.m.

New York Yankees at Boston, 2:05 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 2:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 2:05 p.m.

Oakland at Los Angeles Angels, 2:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.

Detroit at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m.

Texas at Seattle, 2:10 p.m.

Miami at New York Mets, 2:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 2:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 2:10 p.m.

Washington at San Diego, 2:10 p.m.

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 2:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 2:15 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.