inning. Philadelphia has only scored three runs in its last fou

CHICAGO -- Jason Hammel is certain the Cubs are better than their record so far. Hammel pitched seven strong innings, Mike Olt hit a three-run home run and Nate Schierholtz drove in a pair of early runs to lead the Cubs to a 9-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "With a doubt," he said. "Weve played a lot of close ballgames where we could have come out on the other end. Were a young team and well figure out how to win those ball games pretty soon." Hammel (3-1) allowed just one run and four hits without walking a batter in seven innings to lower his ERA to 2.60. "Very nice job," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "He got some groundball double plays when he needed to. Made some pitches when he needed to. It was pretty efficient." Olt still is hitting below .200 for the season (.195), but has four homers and nine runs batted in despite not playing every day. The Cubs, whove won three of four to improve to 7-12, have won back-to-back games for the first time this season. They last won consecutive games on Sept. 9 and 10 of last season against the Cincinnati Reds. Their last consecutive home wins came on Sept. 4 and 6 against Miami and Milwaukee. Brandon McCarthy (0-4) lowered his ERA from 7.11 to 6.23 because only one of five runs allowed was earned. He yielded seven hits in five innings. Arizona has dropped four straight and has the worst record in the majors at 5-18. "It was a carbon copy of the game (Monday)," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "We made an error there, gave them life and then Brandon got behind in the count 3-1 and Olt hit a ball down over the plate, a pretty big pop into that wind. "We didnt mount any pressure again offensively so I dont know what to tell ya," he said. In the third inning, Luis Valbuena stroked a one-out double to left-centre field and then scored two batters later on a two-out single by Schierholtz. In the fifth, Schierholtz drove in Valbuena again, this time on a sacrifice fly to right field, for a 2-0 lead. Valbuena led off the inning with a single, went to second on a groundout and then reached third as Arizona second baseman Martin Prado dropped Anthony Rizzos grounder for an error. The Cubs took advantage. Given the extra out, Starlin Castro singled to put two runners on and Olt followed with a homer into the right field bleachers for a 5-0 lead. "I think it probably helped me," Olt said of the wind. "I wasnt trying to hit a home run. I was just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard." Arizona finally got on the board against Hammel in the sixth when Tuffy Gosewisch led off with a homer. The Cubs then broke things open with four runs in the bottom of the eighth, while the Diamondbacks got one back in the ninth. NOTES: Wednesday is the 100th anniversary of the first game at Wrigley Field, which then was known as Weeghman Park, between the Chicago Federals and Kansas City Packers of the Federal League. The Cubs will wear replica Federal uniforms for the game, while Arizona will wear Packers uniforms. . Diamondbacks OF Mark Trumbo didnt start because of soreness in his left foot. The injury occurred late in Mondays game. . Now that RHP Jose Veres no longer is closing games, Renteria will hunt for opportunities to get Veres on the mound so he can work out his problems. "It could be at any moment," Renteria said. "We could be up by 10 (or) down by 10. He needs to pitch. Hes talked about he wants to get back on the mound and throw." . LHP Wade Miley (2-2) is scheduled to face Chicago RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-2) on Wednesday. Nike Sb Sale Online . The Redblacks host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-9) Friday night in their last home game of the year and as of Thursday afternoon, the team was anticipating a ninth consecutive sellout. You can watch all the action on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5 beginning at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Wholesale Nike Sb . On July 27 cyclings best-known race will host "La Course by Le Tour de France" -- a one-day womens competition staged hours before Tour riders race on the same circuit to finish the three-week event on Paris Champs-Elysees. http://www.cheapnikesbuk.com/ . Mike Babcock has turned to the Montreal Canadiens goalie over Roberto Luongo, who backed Canada to a gold medal in Vancouver in 2010, for Canadas final preliminary round game against the ailing Finns. Cheap Nike Sb Shoes Online . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Cheap Nike Sb Trainers . Halak did not get the start in the Washington Capitals Tuesday night game against the St.DENVER -- Initially inserted into the Colorado Rockies rotation as a stop-gap injury replacement, Jordan Lyles has rapidly become a fixture. Lyles pitched effectively into the eighth inning for his third straight win, Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer, and the Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 Saturday night. "Hes really given us a lift in that rotation," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Lyles. He originally was slated to begin the season at Triple-A Colorado Springs but wound up filling in for Tyler Chatwood after he strained a hamstring late in spring training. "The biggest factor is his two-seamer," Weiss added. "Its something he worked on all spring, his fastball angle and pitching to the bottom of the zone, and you could see those guys beating it into the ground. Hes a mentally tough kid. He competes. He goes after hitters. Hes been great." Lyles (3-0), acquired in December from Houston in exchange for outfielder Dexter Fowler, allowed one unearned run and five hits in seven innings. LaTroy Hawkins pitched a hitless ninth for his fifth save in five chances. "As a visitor, it wasnt fun, knowing youre coming here." Lyles said. "Balls seem to carry a little further here but guys (pitchers) try to keep the ball on the ground and they cant hit it over if they hit the top of the ball. Thats my approach and just try to let our great infield do their job." The Rockies were also helped by a reversed call that produced their first run. The game was delayed briefly a couple of times when a squirrel wandered on and off the field. The animal was eventually corraled by groundskeepers and taken away. Kyle Kendrick (0-2) went seven innings and allowed three runs on six hits in a solid outing but could not avoid a seventh straight loss, dating to last Aug. 11. The last Phillies pitcher to have a losing streak of seven games or more was reliever Brad Lidge, who lost eight in a row over 57 appearances from April 18-Sept. 23, 2009. "Made a mistake to Morneau," Kendrick said. "That first run. It was a replay. I guess thats why we have it, but its frustrating when it doesnt go (your way)." Colorado got on the scoreboard when home plate umpire and crew chief Tim Welke ruled Nolan Arenado safe on a bang-bang play at the plate in the third after initially calling him out. Weiss asked Welkee to take another look at the play, and after viewing the replay, the umpire determined that catcher Carlos Ruiz had blocked the plate before he received the throw home in violation of new collision rules instituted this season to better protect catchers and base runners.dddddddddddd Arenado scored from first on D.J. LeMahieus single that rolled through the right-centre gap. The reversal went into the books as a crew chief review rather than a managers challenge. "Its amazing how that one rule changes the game, kind of," Arenado said. "Fortunately enough, it benefited us and I guess when youre on the other side, its probably going to rub you the wrong way a little bit." Carlos Gonzalez opened the fourth with a single and Morneau drove a 1-1 pitch from Kendrick into the right field bleachers above the scoreboard for his third homer of the season to make it 3-0. The Phillies didnt get on the board until the eighth. Lyles gave up a leadoff single to Cody Asche and was relieved by Boone Logan. Pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. reached on Logans throwing error, with Asche moving to second. Logan then retired the next three batters, giving up a run on Jimmy Rollins grounder and striking out Chase Utley with Mayberry on second base to end the inning. Philadelphia has only scored three runs in its last four games. "Youre going to go through ruts in the season," Kendrick said. "You want to get out of it as quick as you can. Hopefully tomorrow we can swing it and score some runs. Things can turn quick." NOTES: The Phillies selected the contract of RHP Shawn Camp from Triple A Lehigh Valley, filling the roster spot of RHP Jonathan Pettibone, who was optioned to Lehigh Valley the night before. The Phillies will have to make another roster move when LHP Cole Hamels (left biceps tendinitis) is expected to be reinstated from the disabled list in time to start Wednedays game at Los Angeles. Hamels is one win shy of 100 for his career. ... Rockies OF-INF Michael Cuddyer missed a second straight game with a sore left hamstring. He remains day to day. ... Arenados leadoff single in the third inning extended his hitting streak to 10 games, matching a career best. ... RHP Roberto Hernandez (1-0) is slated to start Sundays series finale for the Phillies against Rockies RHP Juan Nicasio (2-0). ' ' '