Optik » :12 to play got the Wizards within 94-93, but

LOS ANGELES -- After failing to get past the fifth inning for the fifth consecutive outing, Josh Beckett was beating himself up pretty badly after a loss to the lowly Chicago Cubs. The three-time All-Star was lifted with none out in the fourth after giving up three hits, including a tiebreaking two-run homer by Chris Coghlan, and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended up with a 7-3 defeat on Sunday in the rubber game of the series. "Ive got to do a better job of keeping the team in the game, not killing our bullpen every time I pitch," said Beckett, who struck out Ryan Sweeney with the bases loaded to end the third. "Youve got to make better pitches. Those guys are big league hitters. If you dont make pitches to these guys, they get hit. I didnt throw enough strikes, and the strikes I did throw werent good enough." Beckett (6-6) is 3-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 10 starts since his no-hitter on May 25 at Philadelphia, and has surrendered five homers in his first three starts off the disabled list after missing two weeks with a sore hip. One of his biggest problems, according to manager Don Mattingly, is the difficulty he has with his preparation between assignments. "In between starts is in between starts. You cant let that affect how your day goes," Beckett said after his first start against the Cubs since August 2005. "Physically, Im able to pitch. Im not worried about my hip. I felt better today, but the results are just as (poor). "I didnt throw a bullpen in between my last two starts, because I feel like its robbing Peter to pay Paul," he added. "I threw some flat ground, which kind of substitutes as my bullpens nowadays." Los Angeles NL West lead was trimmed to 2 1/2 games over San Francisco, which won 9-0 at the New York Mets. Matt Kemp trimmed Chicagos lead to 3-2 in the sixth with his 13th homer and fifth in six games. But Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo helped preserve the lead in the seventh, making a leaping grab of Carl Crawfords line drive and turning it into an inning-ending double play by trapping Drew Butera off second. The Cubs made it 6-2 in the eighth with John Bakers RBI groundout and a two-run single by pinch-hitter Starlin Castro, who was rested after starting each of the teams first 109 games. The Dodgers got a run in the eighth off Pedro Strop, but Luis Valbuena responded in the ninth against Chris Perez with his 10th homer. Edwin Jackson (6-11) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out six and walked none. The right-hander was 0-4 with a 7.39 ERA in his previous seven starts since beating Pittsburgh 6-3 on June 20 at Wrigley Field. SMELL THE WOOD? Andre Ethier struck out in his sixth consecutive plate appearance before Scott Van Slyke pinch-hit for him in the sixth and also struck out. SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES Jackson made his big league debut with the Dodgers on Sept. 9, 2003, beating Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks 4-1 at Arizona on his 20th birthday in a game that lasted just 2 hours and 22 minutes. TRAINERS ROOM Cubs: Newly acquired left-hander Felix Doubront had a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium while continuing his rehab from a left calf strain. Dodgers: Catcher A.J. Ellis missed his second straight game because of a sore right knee, which was struck by a foul tip off Rizzos bat in the sixth inning of Fridays series opener. ... Butera was struck in the groin by a foul tip off the bet of Nate Schierholtz on the fourth inning and was given as much time as he needed to collect himself before going back behind the plate. ON DECK Cubs: Left-hander Travis Wood (7-9, 5.10 ERA) matches up against Colorado lefty Brett Anderson (1-3 3.12 ERA) Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Coors Field. Dodgers: Their next four games are against the Angels, with right-hander Zack Greinke (12-6, 2.65 ERA) opposing Garrett Richards (11-4, 2.74 ERA) on Monday night at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers have won only one season series from the Angels in the previous 14 years, going 4-2 in 2006. Adidas NMD Pharrell Williams Human Race Yellow . Yet now its time for the most important pick of them all; the Grey Cup. The thought of going 5-0 with the correct choice is quite intoxicating, I dont think I have ever gone perfect in my CFL futuristic playoff speculations and would take great pride in guessing - I mean analyzing - correctly. Cheap NMD For Sale . Leave it to Matt Niskanen, the newly proclaimed Eddie Haskell of the Washington Capitals. http://www.cheapnmdonline.com/adidas-nmd-r1-mesh-triple-white-s79166-unisex.html . - Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick as the Prince Albert Raiders stormed past the Swift Current Broncos 5-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday. Cheap Mens Adidas NMD Shoes . Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 after opening with a 77 -- his worst score of the season -- on TPC San Antonios AT&T Oaks Course. Lefty was 11 strokes behind leader Steven Bowditch, the Australian who had a 67 to reach 8-under 136. Adidas NMD Human Race Sale . Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Celtics will go for the home-and-home sweep against the Washington Wizards Monday night, but this time, the game will be played at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. On Sunday afternoon, the Cs took their home portion of the series with a 101-93 victory. The win gave the Celtics three in a row and ended a four-game streak for the Wizards. Rajon Rondo had a triple double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for the Celtics, who have dropped two in a row on the road. Jeff Green netted 25 points and Marcus Thornton added 21 for the Celtics, who have won three in a row on the heels of a five-game losing streak. Avery Bradley managed 11 in the victory and Jared Sullinger registered a double- double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. A John Wall finger roll with 1:12 to play got the Wizards within 94-93, but Bradley nailed a 3-pointer and Greens layup with 22.2 ticks on the clock sealed the outcome. I thought we played gutsy at the end, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. Rasual Butler scored 22 points, Wall had 17 points and 14 assiists and Paul Pierce supplied 16 points in another game against his former team for Washington, which trailed by as many as 25 in the second half.dddddddddddd This place will always have a place in my heart, Pierce said. The Celtics led 90-78 in the fourth quarter before Wall netted six straight points during a 13-2 Washington run. Butler capped the burst with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 92-91 with 2:50 remaining. Walls layup inched them closer, but the Celtics closed the door. Boston won for the second time in its last five meetings with Washington after winning the seven prior matchups in the series. The Celtics play in Charlotte on Wednesday, while the Wizards visit the Orlando Magic. Washington will have three straight at home following the Southeast Division tilt, including matchups with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wizards won three of four against the Celtics last season to halt a seven- game series slide. Washingtons victory over the Cs in DC last season stopped a four-game home losing streak. ' ' '