Phillies. His eight innings Thursday were the longest s

CHICAGO -- The Cubs have soared to the top of the major leagues with little help from Jason Heyward in his first season in Chicago.If their $184 million man can start delivering like he did Sunday, look out.Heyward tied it with a single in the ninth inning and his liner to left-center in the 13th won it as the Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Sunday to take three of four games in a possible playoff preview.Its huge because we have a good team, Heyward said of his recent uptick, and when you add that to it, it just makes us that much better.Anthony Rizzo led off the 13th with a single off Matt Reynolds (0-1) and went to second on Ben Zobrists groundout. Addison Russell, who had three hits, was walked intentionally before Heyward drove in his third run of the game.Heyward left St. Louis in the offseason for a big-money deal with the Cubs, but he was hitting. 225 when manager Joe Maddon benched him for four games last month.I really believe when a very good major league player may be struggling, if he just sits and watches a major league game being played and then understands, `Im one of the best, it does something internally, Maddon said.Heyward has five multihit games in his last eight starts.Just being more consistent with timing, with better swings, swinging at better pitches, Heyward said.Trevor Cahill (4-4) worked a perfect inning in a series in which all four games were decided by one run.The Cubs maintained a 16 1/2-game lead in the NL Central, while the Giants lead over the Cardinals for the first wild card was reduced to 1 1/2 games.The Cubs were staring at a second straight loss when Russell led off the ninth with a double against Santiago Casilla. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Heywards single up the middle to hand Casilla his NL-high seventh blown save.The Giants appeared on their way to the win in regulation despite managing two hits thanks to seven innings of five-hit ball from Johnny Cueto and a perfectly executed suicide squeeze.Eduardo Nunez doubled in the fifth, stole third then broke for home as Ehire Adrianza put down a soft bunt in front of the mound that forced John Lackey to throw to first and snapped a 1-all tie.In his first start since Aug. 14 because of a shoulder strain, Lackey allowed one earned run and one hit in five innings.Heyward made up for a two-base error in the second when he couldnt make a running catch of Hunter Pences fly to right-center. Pence scored the unearned run on Nunezs groundout.After the Cubs tied it when Haywards bloop single scored Anthony Rizzo in the fourth, the Giants got their first hit an inning later on Nunezs one-out liner to the gap.The Giants mustered 14 hits in the four games, failing to score in 16 innings against Chicagos bullpen.To go against a staff like this youd figure they were going to be low-scoring games. Its tough to come away with three losses, manager Bruce Bochy said. They played well. We just didnt do a lot of hitting.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Bochy didnt start SS Brandon Crawford and LF Angel Pagan with a day game Monday at Colorado. Both ended up pinch-hitting.Cubs: Setup man Hector Rondon (triceps) could come off the disabled list as soon as Monday.RIZZO RECOVERSMaddon pointed out Rizzo took off immediately to score on Heywards liner a day after a baserunning blunder in the ninth inning of a 3-2 loss.SCARY MOMENTGiants 1B Brandon Belt, who has had multiple concussions, stayed in after taking Rob Zastryznys 87 mph fastball of his helmet in the seventh.NATHAN DEBUTRHP Joe Nathan making his first appearance with San Francisco since the 2003 playoffs, struck out Kris Bryant in a perfect 12th.SIXTH MANChicago will stick with a six starters through another turn in the rotation, with LHP Mike Montgomery getting the ball Wednesday at Milwaukee.UP NEXTGiants: LHP Matt Moore (9-10, 3.88 ERA) flew early to Denver and starts Monday against Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (11-7, 5.17).Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (13-7) carries the majors lowest ERA of 2.09 into Mondays start at Milwaukee against RHP Zach Davies (10-6, 4.07). Brook Lopez Jersey . 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. Glenn Robinson Jersey . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. http://www.nbabucksproshop.com/Customized/ .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. George Hill Bucks Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Glenn Robinson Bucks Jersey .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Cleveland Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin has gone from unbeatable at the start of the season to winless in August.And that potent Indians offense is suddenly struggling to score runs.Tomlin allowed two three-run homers, the first to Carlos Gomez making his debut for the AL-best Texas Rangers, and gave up eight runs without making it out of the fifth inning as the Indians lost 9-0 in the opener of a four-game series matching division leaders Thursday night.My job is to give us a chance to win, and right now Im not doing my job, said Tomlin, 0-5 with a 10.80 ERA in his five August starts.While Tomlin (11-8) failed to get past the fifth inning for the fourth time this month, the Indians managed only two singles in eight innings against left-hander Cole Hamels (14-4), who struck out eight without a walk.We havent swung the bat the last four games, but I think were third in the league in runs, manager Terry Francona said. Its not realistic that youre going to hit the ball out of the ballpark all year. It happens. Just got to fight through it together. We will.Cleveland (72-54) was shut out for the fourth time this season, and that came after the AL Central leader had been held to exactly one run in each of its three games at Oakland earlier this week -- the opener of that series being a 1-0 victory.You keep working, second baseman Jason Kipnis said. I wouldnt be surprised if we come out of it here soon.Hamels retired 19 batters in a row after Francisco Lindors solid two-out single to left in the first. The only other baserunner for the Indians against the lefty was Carlos Santana after a leadoff single in the eighth, though he was stranded at second after advancing on a passed ball.Had all pitches, all locations in play. Had the swing and miss, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. He had the ability to do what he wanted to.After Gomezs homer in the second, Adrian Beltre and Rougned Odor also homered for the Raangers (75-53), who matched their largest winning margin of the season.ddddddddddddTomlin is scheduled to start once more before the calendar turns to September, next week at home against Minnesota. The right-handed Texas native was 7-0 through eight starts and 9-1 at the end of June, but now hasnt won since July 30.He was crisp, Francona said. He made a bad pitch to Gomez, and unfortunately its three (runs).LOFTY MARKSHamels is 21-5 in his 38 starts since the Rangers acquired him last season when he was coming off a no-hitter in his last start for the Philadelphia Phillies. His eight innings Thursday were the longest scoreless outing for a Texas starter this season.SHORT HOPSIndians 1B Mike Napoli had two errors in the fifth, one throwing and one fielding. ... Tony Barnette pitched a scoreless ninth, after giving up a leadoff walk, to wrap up only the third shutout this season for Texas. ... The Rangers had eight hits, one each by eight different players. The only starter without a hit was Carlos Beltran, who is in an 0-for-28 slide.FRESH STARTGomez made his Rangers debut five days after signing a minor league deal with the team and playing three games at Triple-A Round Rock. The 30-year-old two-time All-Star outfielder hit .210 with five homers in 85 games this season with the Houston Astros before being designated for assignment and then last week given his unconditional release.TRAINERS ROOMIndians: Instead of activating reliever Tommy Hunter from the disabled list next week as planned, the Indians released the right-hander who has been out since the All-Star break with after a back issue.UP NEXTIndians: All-Star RHP Corey Kluber (13-8), the 2014 AL Cy Young winner, is 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA his last eight starts.Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (8-9) is 7-1 with a 2.36 ERA in 13 home starts this season. ' ' '