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DENVER -- A couple of bullpen sessions over the All-Star break helped Jeff Samardzija resolve the mechanical problems in his pitching delivery that had been bothering him much of the season. The refinements were evident Friday night when Samardzija pitched effectively into the eighth inning, and Anthony Rizzo doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh in Chicago Cubs 3-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. "We changed a couple things with my mechanics, kept me on line a little more," Samardzija said. "But if you had asked me all year how I felt about my mechanics, I would say they were off, to tell you the truth, until today. So, Im really excited to stop making adjustments and really just working on pitch selection and pitch location. As a pitcher, sometimes those things happen. It clicks for you and you go from there." Alfonso Soriano added a home run, his 17th, and Junior Lake, recalled by Chicago from Triple-A Iowa before the game, had three hits in his major league debut, including a double in his first career at-bat. Darwin Barney drove in an insurance run with a ninth-inning double. Samardzija (6-9) kept the Rockies in check by limiting them to one run on four hits in 7 1-3 innings, bouncing back after tying a career high by allowing nine runs in a 13-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on July 10. "Tonight, the guy was nasty and dominated," Michael Cuddyer said. "Youve got to tip your hat every once in a while. He pitched really well." Samardzija was able to paint the corners with his fastball and kept the Rockies off balance with a devastating splitter. "It was so good tonight," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "It was diving out of the strike zone so much you couldnt even get swings at it sometimes." Samardzija walked three and struck out six, including striking out the side in the seventh, when he set down All-Stars Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki and Cuddyer. "I was working both sides of the plate with my fastball, really established it for a strike, and when you do that, it makes your splitter that much better," he said. "Just being aggressive helped out a lot." Added Cuddyer: "He throws 96 mph with an 83-mph splitter that was on tonight. He didnt walk many guys until the very end." D.J. LeMahieu doubled off Kevin Gregg to start the ninth and advanced to third on a ground out by Gonzalez. Tulowitzki walked before Gregg induced Cuddyer to ground into a game-ending double play for his 18th save in 20 chances. Chicago regained the lead in the seventh, sparked by Cody Ransoms two-out walk off reliever Edgmer Escalona (1-3). Rizzo followed by lining a double down the right field line. He was thrown out trying for third but not before Ransom had crossed the plate with the go-ahead run. Soriano gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead when he homered to start the fourth inning, driving Jorge De La Rosas 0-1 pitch into the stand of evergreens beyond the centre field wall. It was his 389th homer, tying him with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for 57th on the career list. Dexter Fowler evened the score when he led off the Rockies half of the fourth with a homer, his 11th. He drove Samardzijas first offering beyond the centre field wall in almost the same spot as Sorianos. The Rockies had a chance to go in front after Tulowitzki and Cuddyer hit consecutive two-out singles. With Todd Helton up, a low pitch skipped past Welington Castillo, but the ball bounced off the backstop and the catcher corralled it, making an off-balance throw to Samardzija covering at home just in time to tag out Tulowitzki, who had broken for the plate. De La Rosa went six innings and allowed one run on five hits. Lake, an oufielder-infielder, filled the roster spot of outfielder Brian Bogusevic, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. Sveum said he was extremely encouraged by Lakes exceptional debut. "Since Ive been here, thats the first kid thats come up and looked like a major leaguer, aggressive, aggressive on the bases," Sveum said. "He did a great job and swung the bat really nice." NOTES: The home run was Sorianos 15th extra-base hit since June 28, tops in the NL in that span. ... Fowlers home run was his first since hitting two against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 2. ... The Rockies opened the second half with a 10-game homestand, while Cubs began a 10-game road trip. ... Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio (5-4) is set to pitch Saturday nights game against the Cubs. Hell be opposed by RHP Carlos Villanueva (2-5). Donnie Walton Mariners Jersey . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Tim Lopes Jersey . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2705k-austin-adams-jersey-mariners.html . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Braden Bishop Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Richie Zisk Mariners Jersey . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Cleveland CavaliersOverall:?13 Title track: T19 Ownership: 38 Coaching: 39 Players: 21 Fan relations: 16 Affordability: 41 Stadium experience: 29 Bang for the buck: 12 Change from last year: +31The Cavaliers broke their citys 50-plus year championship curse to rise in the rankings to ... No. 13?! There always has to be something unlucky about Cleveland, doesnt there? Triskaidekaphobia aside, LeBron James & Co.s epic comeback against the Golden State Warriors to capture the Larry OBrien Trophy rightfully has this group up 31 spots in our standings, knocking on the door for consideration as a top-10 franchise in sports.Whats goodNow that the titleless drought has been lifted in Cleveland, its not so incomprehensible for the Cavs to have the gumption to do it in back-to-back years. They jumped up 32 spots from a season ago in title track, tying with James favorite baseball team in the New York Yankees for No. 19. And make no mistake -- James himself has plenty to do with the Cavs No. 21 ranking in players, up 94 spots from two years ago. The Cavs also rocketed up the charts in bang for the buck, moving up 36 spots to No. 12 overall. It seems like the chance to see a play like James chhase-down block in Game 7 of the NBA Finals live always makes the price of admission worth it.ddddddddddddWhats badHeres a first: Theres not much to complain about as a Cleveland fan. The Cavs lowest ranking came in affordability, though, at 41st. Its still in the top third of teams. And their average ticket price -- of $48.12, seven bucks below the league average -- is lower than 17 teams who arent NBA champs. Best of all? At Quicken Loans Arena, you can fill up on league-low beers, at just $4 a pop for 12 ounces, and $3 hot dogs (also a league-low).Whats newNobody who voted in these rankings is missing David Blatt: Tyronn Lues promotion from associate head coach to the top dog represented the biggest improvement in any category for Cleveland, as its coaching rank jumped 51 spots to No. 39. Lue became the first midseason replacement ever to guide his team to the title and started off his first-ever postseason 10-0, besting Pat Rileys previous mark. Curiously, the Cavs remained No. 7 in the NBA in the players ranking, while lesser teams like Boston, Memphis and Portland all moved up ahead of them.Next: Memphis Grizzlies?| Full rankings ' ' '