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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are proving to be one difficult assignment for contending teams hoping to improve their playoff position. Jake Arrieta pitched six solid innings and Chicago beat Milwaukee 7-1 on Tuesday night, handing the Brewers their seventh consecutive loss. The last-place Cubs will try for a series sweep of the Brewers on Wednesday night. They are 18-14 since Aug. 1, including a sweep of AL East-leading Baltimore and two of three in a series at NL West-leading Los Angeles. "Were figuring out ways to put all the facets of the game together at the same time," Arrieta said. "Thats what really good teams do." Arrieta (8-5) allowed one run and five hits, struck out four and walked two. He has allowed one or no runs in 13 of his 22 starts this season. Shortstop Elian Herrera made two errors that helped the Cubs score four runs in the first inning, and Milwaukee stranded a runner in scoring position in five of the nine innings. Since owning a 2 1/2-game lead in the NL Central on Aug. 19, the Brewers have lost 10 of 12. "We have to get back to the way we played the majority of the first five months," slugger Ryan Braun said. "Every team has a bad week. Its not an ideal time for it to happen to us. But we have to go out there and continue to compete every day, and it will turn around at some point." Milwaukees Yovani Gallardo (8-8) allowed a season-high seven runs and eight hits in five innings. Jorge Soler and Luis Valbuena each singled in a run in the first and came around to score on Herreras errors. Braun singled home Scooter Gennett in the third, but the Cubs pulled away again in the fifth. Welington Castillo had an RBI double and Arismendy Alcantara connected for a two-run homer, extending the Cubs lead to 7-1. "Everybody chipped away, made some things happen," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "We took advantage of their mistakes." Alcantara, who made his big league debut earlier this season, now has eight home runs through 50 games. Valbuena got two hits and scored twice. Over his past 17 games, he has hit six homers, driven in 10 runs and scored 12. Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro sprained his left ankle on an awkward slide home in the first inning, and left the game. Initial tests revealed no fracture for the three-time All-Star. TRAINERS ROOM Brewers: OF Carlos Gomez was diagnosed with a sprained left wrist and will not swing a bat for at least one week, manager Ron Roenicke said. The injury could potentially sideline the two-time All-Star for a few weeks, but Roenicke said Gomez will remain available as a pinch runner and defensive substitute. Cubs: All-Star 1B Anthony Rizzo was diagnosed with a back strain and will miss an extended period of time. Cubs executive Theo Epstein said the injury could be season-ending. UP NEXT The Brewers and Cubs finish their three-game set Wednesday night. RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-1, 1.91 ERA) starts for the Cubs, aiming to win his fifth consecutive decision. He will face RHP Matt Garza (7-7, 3.58 ERA), who makes his first start since being put on the 15-day disabled list with strained left oblique on Aug. 5. PRIZED PROSPECT Although the Cubs front office did not call 3B Kris Bryant up to the majors when rosters expanded this month, Epstein still had plenty of praise for the prize prospect. "Hes as advanced and mature and professional as a prospect weve had," Epstein said, before directing his focus at next season and adding, "If anyone can jump into the big league picture in the middle of the season and not miss a beat, its Kris Bryant." MLB Jerseys China . 1 Pete Sampras. Speaking ahead of an exhibition match against Andre Agassi in London on March 3, Sampras said on a conference call Wednesday that he is impressed by Federers longevity. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. http://www.cheapchinamlbjerseys.com/.com) - Bradley Beals 22 points and seven rebounds helped the Washington Wizards erase a halftime deficit and top the Utah Jazz, 93-84, on Sunday. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic .com) - The Grand Slam season will get underway Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, where a new champion will be crowned this year. Cheap MLB Jerseys 2018 . Lisicki beat South African Chanelle Scheepers by a 7-5, 7-6 (7-1) margin. Next up for the Wimbledon runner-up will be Slovenian Polona Hercog, who outlasted Czech Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.ROGERS, Ark. -- Michelle Wie didnt let a little thing like a hectic national media tour slow the momentum following her U.S. Womens Open victory last week at Pinehurst. The former prodigy continued her resurgence on the LPGA Tour on Friday, shooting a 5-under 66 to finish a stroke behind leader Hamiltons Alena Sharp after the first round of the NW Arkansas Championship. Wie spent much of her week leading into the tournament busy on the national morning television circuit, only arriving at Pinnacle Country Club on Thursday. Following a practice round and 12 hours of much-needed sleep, the most recognizable name on the LPGA Tour shot a bogey-free 66 on the 6,375 yard layout -- closing with a birdie on the par-5 18th and upstaging local favourite Stacy Lewis. "Definitely running on fumes right now," Wie said. "... I think it definitely struck me on the back nine, a little bit tired, but I just was really excited to get out here and start playing again. New York was fun, but its just fun to get back to playing golf." Sharp, ranked 234th in the world, had only 27 putts in her opening 65, while Mexicos Alejandra Llaneza matched Wie with a bogey-free 66. The top-ranked Stacy Lewis, who played at the nearby University of Arkansas, was 2 over after four holes before recovering to finish with a 70. Ten players, including major champions So Yeon Ryu and Shanshan Feng, shot 67. Sharp entered this week having missed the cut in six of her 11 LPGA Tour events this year, though she did win the Symetra Tours season-opening event in Arizona in February. She entered the week 137th on the LPGA Tour with an average of 31.34 putts per round, but she credited a recently putting lesson for Fridays improvement. "Im trusting it more and jusst trying to relax," Sharp said.dddddddddddd "Its been a part of my game that hasnt been the greatest this year. Ive hit a lot of greens and not making a lot of birdies, so today was definitely a step in the right direction." While Sharp controlled the leaderboard following the morning group, Wie overcame windy conditions to post the best round of the afternoon -- closing with a 4-under 31 on the back nine. She closed with a birdie on the par-5 18th and needed only 28 putts in her first round since earning her first major championship at Pinehurst. Wie, who was 64th on the LPGA Tour money list in 2012 and 41st last year, has yet to miss a cut this year and leads the money list with nearly $1.6 million. "I just feel comfortable out there, and Im trying to keep improving a little bit every day and still working on a lot of things," Wie said. Lewis earned an unofficial win in the rain-shortened event as an amateur in 2007, but the Texas native, who finished second to Wie in the Womens Open, struggled early on Friday -- much to the dismay of her large pro-Razorbacks gallery. She was 2 over after four holes, thanks to a missed 4-foot par putt on No. 2 and a bogey from the greenside bunker on No. 4. Lewis recovered with three birdies to finish 1 under, but she needed 31 putts on her way to settling for a tie for 43rd. "Its always hard playing here," Lewis said. "People, I dont think they realize how hard it is. Theres a lot of pressure, and its hard to not put too much pressure on yourself." European Solheim Cup star Caroline Hedwall also was in the group at 67 along with Jennifer Rosales, Moriya Jutanugarn, Emma Jandel, Gerina Piller, Ji Young Oh, Pornanong Phatlum and Paz Echeverria. ' ' '