CHAMPAIGN—Louisiana Tech came to Illinois Saturday averaging 56 points a game. It’s safe to say Bulldogs don’t need much help finding the scoreboard. They got it anyway, from an Illinois team that couldn’t hold onto the ball.The Bulldogs (3-0) turned six Illinois turnovers and four touchdown passes from quarterback Colby Cameron into a 52-24 road upset of the Illini (2-2).And not just an upset for the Western Athletic Conference school, but a blowout.The Bulldogs led 21-7 at the end of the first quarter on Illinois’ first three turnovers, and dominated the Illini, never trailing again.

“I thought we played a lot more physical up front today than we have and made better plays on the football,” Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes said. “I think we gained a lot of confidence in the first half just because we had a lead.”

Cameron’s favorite target was Quinton Patton who caught six balls for 164 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulldogs.Cameron and Patton connected on a pair of early third-quarter touchdowns that put the Bulldogs up for good, 35-17.

“Regardless of who you’re playing you’re not going to win football games if you turn the football over and give up big strikes,” Illinois coach Tim Beckman said. “I credit Louisiana Tech – I think Louisiana Tech’s got a good football team. But we still have to play much better.”

After missing the past two games with a sprained ankle, Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase was ineffective and left the game in the first quarter. Reilly O’Toole was 19 of 25 for 120 yards in his place.The Bulldog defense sacked Illinois’ quarterbacks five times.Illinois climbed back into the game in the second quarter, turning a 21-7 deficit to a manageable 21-17 while holding the Bulldogs to three yards of offense.The Bulldogs doused whatever spark the Illini felt as they came out of the locker room for the third quarter. And, like everything else Louisiana Tech did, it happened fast.On the quarter’s second play Cameron hit Patton deep down the right sideline for a 78-yard touchdown and a 28-17 lead that silenced a chilly Memorial Stadium crowd. Patton caught the ball well behind cornerback Terry Hawthorne, one of Illinois’ fastest players. And any helped he might have hoped for from his safeties never materialized.After a three-and-out from Illinois and O’Toole, the Bulldogs turned in a nine-play, 73-yard drive that, it weren’t for their no-huddle offense, might have chewed up four or five minutes. As it was, Cameron wrapped up the drive in well under three minutes, again finding Patton for a 21-yard touchdown.Patton again ran by Hawthorne as he cut across the middle of the field and caught the ball near the goal line.

“We’ve got to try to create some more pressure on the quarterback and we’ve got to cover better,” Beckman said. “I mean, you saw it.”

For all of Louisiana Tech’s quick-strike offensive ability, one special teams play summed a night of mistakes for Illinois.Trailing 35-17, the Illini forced a punt and were about to get the ball back, but the punt bounced off the back of blocker Justin Green inside his own 5-yard line and into the end zone. The Bulldogs’ Antonio Mitchum fell on the ball and, at 42-17 with more than four minutes left in the third quarter, the game was over.

“We talked in the past few weeks about finishing and that’s what we worked on tonight. I think we decided to capitalize on that in the third quarter,” Mitchum said.

Illinois’ first three turnovers cost the Illini dearly. All in the first quarter, they staked Louisiana Tech to a 21-7 lead.The last of those three was, for the Illini, the ugliest.Scheelhaase ran away from heavy pressure but was caught as he headed for the sideline by linebacker Rufus Porter who punched the ball loose. Defensive end Vontarrius Dora grabbed the fumble at the Illinois 38 and returned it to the Illinois 23-yard line.King again turned the Illini mistake into points, scrambling in from the 5, hitting the goal line and losing the ball as he did.Illinois challenged the touchdown call but, like much of what the Illini tried in the first quarter, it didn’t work. Officials upheld the call.Scheelhaase left the game after his fumble. He hadn’t played since late in the opener against Western Michigan almost three weeks ago after spraining his left ankle.

“We weren’t moving the ball so we decided as coaching staff, myself, that we’d give Reilly a chance,” Beckman said, saying only that Scheelhaase looked Rusty.

O’Toole – along with a mistake from the Bulldogs – helped Illinois claw its way back into the game.First Illinois turned a fumbled punt return by Craig Johnson deep in Bulldog territory into a 26-yard field goal by Taylor Zalewski to cut the gap to 21-10 with 12:14 left in the second quarter. Then O’Toole led Illinois on a methodical 13-play, 57 yard drive – overcoming a holding penalty that wiped out a 25-yard gain – that ended with a 1-yard touchdown by Donovonn Young. Illinois was back in the game, somehow down just four, 21-17, at the half.

ANAHEIM—Two straight wins have the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim still in the thick of the playoff race.Four consecutive losses haven’t derailed the White Sox’s chances either.Dan Haren earned his first win at home in more than a month, Mark Trumbo capped a four-run first inning with a two-run single and the Angels won 4-2 on Saturday night, trimming the Sox AL Central lead to a half-game over Detroit.

“We’re really positive,” Haren said. “It’s really a testament to the leaders on the team. Torii [Hunter] has gotten his point across that we’re not going to give up until we’re eliminated or we win.”

Haren (12-11) allowed two runs and six hits in six-plus innings, struck out four and walked one for his first win in Anaheim since beating Tampa Bay on July 27. He had been 0-3 with an 8.77 ERA in three home starts since then.

“Two double plays were big,” Haren said, crediting the defense. “For the most part I was keeping the ball down. That’s a really good lineup.”

Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth to earn his 20th save in 23 chances after giving up a go-ahead home run in each of his previous two outings.

“Ernie had a couple of rough outings and tonight he found another gear,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

The Angels have won six of nine and are 2 ½ games behind Oakland for the second AL wild card. They moved to a season-high 14 games over .500.

“Every guy has a ton of fight left in them and that’s really what you want,” Trumbo said.

Jose Quintana (6-5) gave up four runs and six hits in five innings, struck out three and walked five for the White Sox, who have scored just 10 runs in their past five games. Chicago struck out 12 times in a 6-2 loss in the series opener Friday.

“This is baseball and guys should be having fun doing it,” said White Sox manager Robin Ventura, who was ejected in the fourth.”There’s stress and stuff like that because you want to win games, but we’d rather be doing this than trying to ruin somebody else’s postseason chances.”

Ventura was tossed by first base umpire Ed Hickox for arguing a balk called on Quintana with the White Sox trailing 4-1. The Angels had runners at the corners with none out when Quintana made an attempted pickoff throw to first baseman Paul Konerko, who was playing way off the bag against the right-handed hitting Mike Trout. Quintana led Konerko to the bag with his throw, and was called for his second balk of the season.

“I don’t even know exactly how that went about because it was a designed play, so I was a little surprised that the balk was called,” Quintana said through a translator. “I still don’t understand it. I would have to look at the video. But it’s a play that we have. It’s not one that we’ve tried all the time, but we definitely practiced it in spring training.”

Hickox told a pool reporter that Quintana didn’t throw directly to first base, but 8 to 10 feet toward second baseman Gordon Beckham.

“Konerko was not breaking until after the pitcher threw the ball and then he was just trying to catch the ball. So in my judgment, there was no attempt to retire the runner,” the umpire said. “My view and my judgment is that Konerko just went to try to catch the ball from going down the line.”

The Angels failed to score in that inning after loading the bases.They tied a season high with four runs in the first. Albert Pujols’ ground-rule double — the 500th of his career — scored Trout, who walked. Hunter added an RBI single before Trumbo’s two-run single with two outs made it 4-0.The Sox first run came on Konerko’s 24th homer leading off the second. They added another run on pinch-hitter DeWayne Wise groundout to second off Garrett Richards.

NOTES—Pujols became the 19th player in major league history to record at least 500 doubles and 400 homers in his career. His 45 doubles are the most since he had that many in 2009….The White Sox have hit a major league-leading 94 homers since the All-Star break….It was the Sox fourth losing streak of four or more games this season….It was Ventura’s fourth ejection in his first year as a manager. His last was on Aug. 25 against Seattle…..Konerko’s homer was the first extra-base hit of his career against Haren, who had previously given up six singles to Konerko.

DEKALB—Northern Illinois rallied from a 23-13 fourth quarter deficit to defeat Kansas 30-23 Saturday afternoon. The Huskies (3-1) victory moved its home field winning streak to 17 games, while the Jayhawks (1-3) lost their 14th straight road contest.NIU running back Leighton Settle scored on a 2-yard run with 4:33 left to cap a 53-yard drive and the Huskies 17-point fourth quarter. The short field was set up when Huskies defensive back Joe Windsor sacked Kansas quarterback Dane Crist.Kansas defensive back Tyler Patmon intercepted Huskies quarterback Jordan Lynch and returned it 54-yards for a touchdown 27 seconds into the fourth quarter. The score gave Kansas a 23-13 lead before Ron Doherty missed the extra point.On the ensuing possession for the Huskies, Lynch threw a 9-yard jump pass to Martel Moore over the middle, who ran untouched for a 65-yard score with 14:23 left to make it 23-20.Huskies kicker Mathew Sims then tied the score at 23-23, when he kicked a 44-yard field goal with 7:58 left in the game.Lynch had a career high 134 yards on 22 carries, his third 100-plus rushing game of the season. Lynch also completed 23 of 35 passes for 235 yards as the Northern offense amassed 455 total yards.For Kansas, James Sims rushed 18 times, totaling 91 yards and two touchdowns.The teams traded scores in the first half, with NIU holding a 13-10 lead at intermission. Kansas opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Doherty. The Huskies took the ensuing kickoff and reached the end zone on a 4-yard pass from Lynch to wide receiver Tommylee Lewis. But the point after touchdown was wide by Mathew Sims, as the Huskies led 6-3 late in the first quarter.Kansas grabbed the lead back early in the second quarter when James Sims scored on a 26-yard run up the middle, capping an 86-yard drive. Northern Illinois concluded the first half scoring, as running back Akeem Daniels scored on a 3-yard run with 1:38 remaining.Kansas took the second half kickoff 71 yards in 14 plays with James Sims scoring his second touchdown of the game on a on a 1-yard run on fourth and goal.The Jayhawks entered the contest with a two game losing streak, while Northern Illinois had won its previous two contests.

NOTES—Northern got the best of two former Notre Damers, Coach Charlie Weis and Crist.

This time the Cubs did the Brewers no favors.John Jay’s RBI double in the 10th inning lifted St. Louis over the Cubs 5-4 on Saturday, bolstering the Cardinals’ bid for another playoff appearance.Carlos Beltran hit a tying solo homer in the ninth for the Cardinals, who began the day with a two-game lead over Los Angeles for the second NL wild-card spot. Milwaukee dropped 2 1/2 games.The defending World Series champion Cardinals have 10 games left in the regular season. They bounced back from an agonizing 11-inning loss at Wrigley Field the previous day.After Matt Carpenter and Brian Anderson drew two-out walks from Jaye Chapman (0-1), Jay doubled down the right-field line.Mitchell Boggs (4-1) got the last out of the ninth. Jason Motte struck out the side in the 10th for his 39th save.Beltran made it 4-all with his 30th homer, a one-out shot off Carlos Marmol that wrapped just inside the right-field foul pole. Marmol had been successful on 19 straight save chances dating to May 2.All-Star catcher Yadier Molina of the Cardinals left in the ninth with lower back spasms. He exited after trying to get away from a pitch from Marmol that nearly hit him.St. Louis lost in dramatic fashion on Friday. Fernando Salas gave up a two-out, two-strike, two-run homer to Darwin Barney in the ninth to send the game to extra innings, and the Cubs won 5-4 in 11 on David DeJesus’ RBI single.On manager Mike Matheny’s 42nd birthday, St. Louis improved to 10-10 in September after going 18-8 in the final month last season, when the Cardinals squeezed into the playoffs on the final day of the season.DeJesus’ solo homer started a three-run rally in the sixth as the Cubs nearly came from behind to knock off the Cardinals for a second straight day.Travis Wood again failed to win at Wrigley, though he held St. Louis to two earned runs over five innings, striking out seven. He entered the game 0-5 with a 6.08 ERA over his last seven home starts, but finished with a no-decision when the Cubs rallied.St. Louis stranded 13 batters and missed several chances to take command of the game. James Russell struck out pinch-hitter Shane Robinson with runner on the corners to end the eighth, while Marmol got Tony Cruz to fly out with the go-ahead run on third to end the ninth. Cruz pinch-hit for Molina.Adam Wainwright escaped with a no-decision, though he remains winless over his last five starts for St. Louis. He allowed four runs and six hits over seven innings. He hasn’t lost in his last eight starts at Wrigley Field.The Cubs need to win four of their last 10 games to avoid the third 100-loss season in franchise history and first since 1966.

NOTES—Cardinals RHP Jake Westbrook (strained right oblique) was shut down just a few pitches into his bullpen session Saturday. He will be re-evaluated Sunday. RHP Lance Lynn will start in Westbrook’s place Monday at Houston. … Cardinals RHP Chris Carpenter felt “good sore” a day after his season debut Friday, according to Matheny. He is scheduled to pitch Wednesday in Houston. … Barney’s errorless streak at second base reached an NL-record 137 games, four short of the major league record set by Detroit’s Placido Polanco in 2007.

ANAHEIM—After struggling in the middle of the season, Ervin Santana is turning it on late as he plays out the final year of his contract.The right-hander struck out 11 while pitching seven innings of two-hit ball and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the White Sox 6-2 on Friday night to gain ground in the playoff race.

“That shows he wants to win too,” teammate Torii Hunter said. “He’s stepped it up in the last three or four starts. He’s showing people he’s still got it.”

Mike Trout and Kendrys Morales homered for Los Angeles, which pulled within 3 ½ games of Oakland for the second AL wild card. The Athletics lost 2-1 to the New York Yankees in 10 innings.

“We got to take care of what we can control on the field,” said Hunter, who had two RBI. “Things got to go our way outside of what we do on the field. It’s doable.”

The Sox lead in the AL Central was trimmed to 1 ½ games over second-place Detroit, which had its series opener against Minnesota postponed by rain. White Sox starter Jake Peavy (11-12) gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings.

“Tonight wasn’t my night,” Peavy said. “Santana was awfully good and shut us down, and it made for a long night.”

Alejandro De Aza got the White Sox off to a fast start with a leadoff homer in the first, but Santana (9-12) quickly recovered and retired 21 of his final 23 batters, walking Gordon Beckham with one out in the third and giving up a two-out single to Alexei Ramirez in the fifth.Santana’s 11 strikeouts matched his career high and he only walked one while throwing 108 pitches. He said he’s not thinking about his future in Anaheim or possibly elsewhere.

“I just think right now,” he said. “I don’t have to prove anything. I have to believe in myself.”

Since Aug. 1, Santana has compiled a 2.88 ERA, sixth-best in the AL. He’s 4-2 with a 3.08 ERA over his last 10 starts.

“He’s found his stuff as the season has gone on,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “The last eight, nine, 10 starts have been what we expect and that’s what we want to see. Ervin didn’t take it easy when he was struggling. He was focused even in the times when he was struggling.”

Santana said nothing has changed since he scuffled earlier in the year.

“I just got better luck now and have to keep it up,” he said.

White Sox slugger Paul Konerko was back in the lineup a day after sitting out because of a minor back injury. He went 0 for 4 while serving as the designated hitter.

“He threw the ball very well, and he’s been doing that for a long time,” Konerko said of Santana. “This was probably the best I’ve ever seen him.”

Morales hit a leadoff drive in the second and Trout went deep in the seventh. Albert Pujols also had two RBI.The Angels grabbed the lead for good in the third when Pujols’ bloop single to left-center fell in front of center fielder De Aza, who misplayed the ball to allow Trout to score behind Chris Iannetta.Hunter drove in two more runs in the fourth, extending the Angels’ lead to 5-1 with a bases-loaded single to left with two outs.Trout now has 28 homers for Los Angeles, which had lost five of its previous seven home games. The rookie is one of the top contenders for the AL MVP award.

NOTES—The White Sox are 3 for 30 with runners in scoring position and have left 28 runners on base in their last four games….Trout became the first major league rookie to score 120 runs or more in a season since Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki had 127 in 2001, and the fourth rookie since 1964 to notch 120 or more runs.
Hunter’s RBI gave him 82 on the season, surpassing the 81 he had last year…..De Aza’s leadoff homer was the fourth of his career, and third this month…

Darwin Barney spoiled Chris Carpenter’s season debut with a two-run, game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning, and David DeJesus hit a game-ending single in the 11th to help the Cubs foil the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Friday.DeJesus hit an 0-2 pitch off of Joe Kelly (5-6) to right field to score pinch runner Brett Jackson.Alberto Cabrera (1-1) struck out two in a perfect 11th to earn his first career victory.The Cardinals entered Friday with a 2½-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers for the second wild card spot.Carpenter threw five effective innings and was in line for the win until Barney launched a 1-2 pitch off of reliever Fernando Salas into the left field bleachers.

“I’m just trying to get Rizzo up,” Barney said. “Fortunately, he threw me another fastball and I got to it. I was worried about the wind, that the wind was gonna knock it down, but it went.”

The Cardinals’ regular closer, Jason Motte, had pitched three days in a row and four out of the last five.Barney has 25 hits in September, matching his highest output of any month this season, with eight games yet to play. The 26-year-old is hitting .352 this month.

“I feel like there’s some times where I’ve gone through periods of adjustments and I’m not really helping out the offense that much,” Barney said. “It’s one of those things where we’re working on finding an approach I can stick with and take into the offseason and work on it, and hopefully come in and stick with one thing next year.”

Carpenter threw 77 pitches in his debut, with a light rain falling throughout the game. The 37-year-old allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out two and walked one.

“My stuff wasn’t as sharp as I’d like and it wasn’t as sharp as it’s been in the simulated games,” Carpenter said. “It was fun to get back out there. Hopefully my stuff will get better and sharper as I get out there more often.”

Carpenter went 4-0 in the 2011 postseason, but hadn’t pitched since winning Game 7 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers. He had surgery July 19 to relieve a nerve ailment that caused numbness up and down the right side of his body.Adding his experienced arm to the rotation boosts the Cardinals’ playoff push. The Brewers open a weekend series Friday night against the Washington Nationals, who clinched a playoff berth Thursday.

“Good to have him back out there and obviously he did exactly what we thought he’d do, he competed and made some good pitches and gave us a chance to win,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Carpenter.

Carpenter held the Cubs scoreless through the first two innings, allowing three baserunners, but the aggressive Cub bats jumped on him in a two-run third inning.DeJesus, who had four hits, led off the third with a triple and Barney followed with an RBI single. Two batters later, Alfonso Soriano doubled to the left field corner to tie the game at 2-2.Carpenter retired eight of the last nine batters he faced after Soriano’s double.

“I’m sure Carpenter will tell you it wasn’t his best stuff,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “I’ve obviously seen him with much better stuff and sharpness to everything. I think he got away with a lot of things.”

St. Louis regained the lead in the fourth on a botched suicide squeeze play. Kozma led off with a triple, and was credited with stealing home when catcher Welington Castillo was unable to handle a high-and-tight pitch that Daniel Descalso offered at but could not lay down.It was the Cardinals’ first straight steal of home since Kerry Robinson in 2002.Yadier Molina’s two-out single put St. Louis on the board in the first inning, and Allen Craig added a sac fly in the third. Matt Holliday reached base four times for the Cardinals.Descalso tacked on an insurance run with an eighth-inning double to chase home Matt Carpenter.Cubs starter Chris Volstad allowed three runs in five innings of work. He gave up six hits and walked three.

NOTES—Soriano matched a career-high with 104 RBI, set in 2005 with Texas…..The Cardinals outrighted RHP John Gaub to make room on the 40-man roster for Carpenter, who was activated from the 60-day disabled list prior to the game….St. Louis sends Adam Wainwright (13-13, 3.97 ERA) to the mound against  Travis Wood (6-12, 4.25) in a Saturday matinee.

KANSAS CITY—Alex Rios was thrown out at the plate, Alexei Ramirez was picked off third base and the AL Central-leading White Sox again failed to come up with a clutch hit in a 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.Eric Hosmer singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning off MattThornton.Jessie Crain took the loss as the White Sox stayed two games ahead of Detroit, which lost in the afternoon to Oakland, with 13 games remaining.The Royals beat the Sox for the ninth time in their last 11 meetings.The White Sox next head for Anaheim to face the Angels this weekend.

Dusty Baker was missing when the Cincinnati Reds became the first team in the majors to clinch a playoff spot. The main man in the dugout was sidelined Thursday for a second straight game after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.

“Obviously we won the last two games for him. We have him in our thoughts, but we got good news on his update,” reliever and former Cub Sean Marshall said after a 5-3 victory over the Northsiders.

“Hopefully he’ll be back with us tomorrow and when it really matters, when we clinch [the division]. Hopefully we get to celebrate this weekend with him,” he said.

Ace Johnny Cueto and the NL Central leaders ensured themselves of at least a wild-card spot. Cincinnati cut its magic number to two for winning the division for the second time in three years.The Reds said Baker would remain in a Chicago hospital for an additional day so doctors could monitor his progress. The manager left Wrigley Field before Wednesday night’s game and underwent another test Thursday.Baker is expected to return to Cincinnati on Friday. Bench coach Chris Speier ran the team for a second straight game.

“He looked good. Very good. He’ll be there tomorrow,” said general manager Walt Jocketty, who visited Baker on Thursday morning. Jocketty said he didn’t know if Baker would be able to manage when the Reds open a series at home against the Dodgers.

“Chris Speier did an excellent job, but I think he’s [Dusty] missed and we’re looking forward to having him back, and more importantly, we’re hoping for the best with his health,” star first baseman Joey Votto said.

“I know he’s excited and happy, just wish that he was here to partake in it, but he’ll be back soon,” Speier said.

Cueto (18-9) pitched six shutout innings as the Red completed a three-game sweep.The Reds broke a scoreless tie by getting five straight singles off reliever Manuel Corpas (0-2) in the seventh during a five-run rally capped by Henry Rodriguez’s two-run double.Cub starter Jason Berken allowed just two hits in six innings against a lineup missing most of the Reds’ regulars.

“I was able to get a couple of jams, great defense behind me, stayed on the same page the whole game,” Berken said.

Cueto gave up five hits with four walks and broke a three-game losing streak.

“I don’t think that was the best stuff he’s ever had. You can tell he might be getting a little tired at the end of the year or whatever, but I’ve seen him with a lot better stuff,” Manager Dale Sveum said.

The Cubs scored in the seventh on Anthony Rizzo’s RBI single and in the eighth on Welington Castillo’s fifth homer again. Rizzo had an RBI grounder in the ninth against Alfredo Simon, who pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for his first save in as many chances.The Reds secured their second playoff appearance in three years despite having the back of their bullpen wiped out by injuries during spring training and losing their best hitter — 2010 National League MVP Votto — for nearly two months.Baker did some of his best managing to pull them through.His first challenge was cobbling together a bullpen after closer Ryan Madson tore an elbow ligament in spring training, ending his season. Setup men Nick Masset and Bill Bray also got hurt before the season opened.Baker eased Aroldis Chapman into the closer’s role, and the hard-throwing left-hander set a franchise record with 27 consecutive saves.Baker also had to juggle his batting order and lineup after Votto tore knee cartilage and was sidelined on July 16. The Reds went on their best tear of the season without their top hitter, going 32-16 and taking control of the NL Central.There was some good fortune, too. All five starters have made it through the season without injury, a franchise record. The Reds had to use a sixth starter only because of a doubleheader.By the time September started, the Reds were firmly in control and counting down the days until they’d clinch.

NOTES—Cueto’s two strikeouts gave him a career-best 159….The Cubs stay home to play the wild card-contending Cardinals with Chris Carpenter (0-0) set to make his season debut against Chris Volstad (3-10)…..The Reds will start Bronson Arroyo (12-8) at home against the Dodgers’ Joe Blanton (9-13) on Friday night…..Berken, picked up on waivers from Baltimore earlier this month, struck out four batters in one inning — the fifth Cubs pitcher to ever do that — when Ryan Hanigan reached on a third strike wild pitch in the second.

KANSAS CITY—Bruce Chen had already pitched out of trouble each of the first three innings when the Royals left-hander issued a pair of walks and served up a base hit to Alex Rios in the fourth.The bases were loaded, there was nobody out and the White Sox — one of the hottest teams in baseball and winners of five straight — were poised to deliver the crushing blow.It never happened.Never even came close.

Chen managed to retire three straight batters without a ball getting out of the infield, and then carried on into the seventh inning. Billy Butler’s sacrifice fly and a two-run double by Alex Gordon was enough to give the Royals a 3-0 victory over the AL Central leaders Wednesday night.

“Bruce Chen was right on top of his game,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I told him after he was done, `You did a great job of pitching yourself into trouble in the fourth inning and even a better job of pitching yourself out of it.’ Bruce did a phenomenal job.”

Chen (11-12) scattered five hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings to win for just the second time in six starts. The crafty veteran also stranded a runner on second in the sixth before getting some help from reliever Kelvin Herrera to escape more trouble in the seventh.Herrera then pitched around two base runners in the eighth, and Greg Holland yielded a two-out double in the ninth before finishing for his 14th save in 17 chances.

“We didn’t panic,” Chen said. “We stuck to our game plan.”

Alcides Escobar finished with three hits, all of them off Chris Sale (17-7), and the Royals who staved off official elimination for one more day. The White Sox (81-67) had their lead in the division trimmed to two games over the Detroit Tigers.

“This one stinks and you have to move on,” Sox manager Robin Ventura said.

The Sox will be happy to move on from playing the Royals and start rooting for them.Kansas City improved to 8-2 in their last 10 meetings by evening the three-game series, and a win in the finale Thursday night would make the Royals 6-1 in the teams’ last seven series.They could become the Sox biggest ally down the stretch, though. Kansas City plays seven of its final 13 games against second-place Detroit, beginning with a four-game series Monday.

“We’re going to have to win no matter what. We have to take care of our business,” Ventura said. “It’s difficult when you play like this.”

The White Sox wasted another strong start by Sale by going 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, stranding four at third base, four more at second and three at first.The Sox also went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position in winning the series opener.Meanwhile, the Royals scratched out a run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Butler, and then bore down behind Eric Hosmer’s leadoff double and Escobar’s intentional walk in the seventh.After a brief visit at the mound, Sale remained in the game to face Gordon, and he walloped a pitch to the wall in left. It appeared that Viciedo would have room to make the catch, but the ball fell onto the track for a double, allowing two runs to cross and giving Kansas City a 3-0 lead.

“Our approach is not to try to do too much against Sale with his kind of stuff, his deceptive delivery,” Gordon said. “Just stay simple and make something happen.”

The three runs were enough to give the 23-year-old Sale his third loss against Kansas City — he’s only lost four other times this season. He’s also just 2-5 over his last seven road starts.

“Chen came out and threw as well as he’s ever pitched tonight against us,” Sale said, his voice barely above a whisper. “He out-pitched me tonight.”

NOTES—Alejandro De Aza matched a career high with four hits. He was a homer shy of the cycle…..Francisco Liriano will pitch the series finale against RHP Jeremy Guthrie…..Both managers announced their weekend rotations. The White Sox will go with Jake Peavy, Jose Quintana and Gavin Floyd against the Angels, while the Royals will start Luis Mendoza, Will Smith and Jake Odorizzi against Cleveland. Odorizzi will be making his big league debut.

On the brink of clinching a playoff spot, Brandon Phillips was missing his manager on Wednesday night.Drew Stubbs hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the 11th inning and Cincinnati beat the Cubs 6-5 without Dusty Baker, who was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.Baker left the team before the game to undergo chest X-rays that were intended to rule out pneumonia. Bench coach Chris Speier brought the lineup card to home plate and there was no sign of the 63-year-old Baker during the game.

“I guess the good thing is it’s not pneumonia, but the bad thing he has an irregular heartbeat, so basically they will over keep him over at the hospital and run some more tests in the morning before he is set free,” Reds head trainer Paul Lessard said.

Baker will not be with the team on Thursday and his return is uncertain.Phillips’ lazy popup with two out in the 11th on a windy night at Wrigley Field was misplayed by Cubs right fielder David DeJesus, allowing him to reach second. Stubbs then smoked a run-scoring single to left against Alberto Cabrera (0-1).

“I had to worry about my daddy,” Phillips said. “I can’t have daddy pass out on us. We can’t let that happen. I am glad he is all right. He is going to be in my prayers when I get back to the hotel. Before I go to sleep make sure I say some prayers for him and family also. Hopefully I miss him because I miss him, I miss him and the toothpicks and the wristbands, I miss it all.”

Speier said he talked to Baker.

“He sounded good and they are just doing their due diligence, just running some tests,” Speier said. “He will be back shortly.”

Logan Ondrusek (5-2) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th to earn the win. Jonathan Broxton earned his fourth save in six chances since joining Cincinnati in July.
Joey Votto reached four times and drove in three runs for the Reds (90-59), who have won three straight to become the second team in the majors to reach 90 wins. Cincinnati also moved a season-high 31 games over .500.Alfonso Soriano hit his 30th homer for the Cubs who trailed 5-1 after five innings.Cincinnati lowered its magic number to clinch a playoff spot to one with the Los Angeles Dodgers splitting a doubleheader at Washington. The Reds’ magic number for a second NL Central title in three years is three.

“I am looking forward to it,” Phillips said. “The only time I drink was 2010 [the last time the Reds won the NL Central], that was the first time I tasted alcohol, I’m kind of looking forward to that feeling again.”

The Reds used five straight singles to score three times in the third. Votto drove in a pair with a bases-loaded single to left and Ryan Ludwick singled in Stubbs to make it 4-0.Votto also doubled in a run in the first.Reds starter Mike Leake retired his first 11 batters before Anthony Rizzo’s two-out single in the fourth. After a walk to Soriano, Starlin Castro singled in Rizzo.Castro finished with four singles and leads all major league shortstops with 76 RBI.Soriano hit a long two-run drive onto Waveland in the sixth inning, giving him six career 30-homer seasons, including two with the Cubs. He now has 103 RBI, one short of matching his career high.

“He did it in style,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “That ball went walking out of there. I think that was going out regardless of wind.”

Castro followed with a two-out single and scored on Luis Valbuena’s double down the left-field line, trimming the Reds’ lead to 5-4. Leake then caught a lackadaisical Valbuena wandering off of second base to end the inning.The 24-year-old right-hander allowed four runs and six hits over six innings.The pesky Cubs rallied with two outs in the eighth against J.J. Hoover, who walked three batters — including one that forced in the tying run.Cubs starter Chris Rusin was tagged for five runs and 10 hits in five innings. The 25-year-old had given up just three runs and nine hits over his last two starts – both of which also lasted five innings.

NOTES—Ludwick was taken out for precautionary reasons in the fifth inning due to left groin tightness…..Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman said his fatigued left shoulder “feels good” after throwing a bullpen session. Chapman said through an interpreter that he likely needs two or three more bullpens to work on his command…..The Cubs agreed to a new player development contract with the Kane County Cougars. The contract runs through 2014….The Cubs send Jason Berken (0-1, 7.20 ERA) to the hill in the series finale Thursday against Johnny Cueto (17-9, 2.92)…..Soriano didn’t hit his first home run of the year until May 15. It’s his first season with at least 30 homers and 100 RBI since 2005.u