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CHICAGO -- Dexter Fowler hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the seventh inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Monday night.Fowlers line drive into center field capped a three-run rally for the Cubs after they were shut down by Tim Adleman most of the night. It also made a winner of Jason Hammel (15-9), who pitched seven solid innings.Jason Heyward added a two-run homer in the eighth as the Cubs moved seven games ahead of Washington for the best record in the National League, lowering their magic number for clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs to five. Thats the only major goal still out there during the regular season for major league-leading Chicago after it secured the NL Central title last week.Brandon Phillips homered for last-place Cincinnati, which has lost five of six. Joey Votto went 2 for 3 with an RBI single and a walk, increasing his batting average since the All-Star break to .416.The Reds allowed three more homers to run their season total to 242, breaking the major league record of 241 belonging to the 1996 Detroit Tigers.The Cubs (95-55) were coming off a lackluster series against the Brewers, dropping three of four while celebrating their division title, and manager Joe Maddon met with his hitters before facing the Reds to talk to them about making the most of the final part of the season.Its unusual being in this position like we are right now, Maddon said after the meeting. So youve got two weeks of baseball, major league baseball, left in September, so lets work on some stuff. Lets work on things that we need to work on individually or as a group.There was no sign of any carry-over from the meeting before Addison Russell led off the seventh with a drive to left for his 21st homer. Willson Contreras crushed another homer with one out, tying it at 2 and chasing Adleman from the longest start of his rookie year.Chris Coghlan greeted Blake Wood (6-4) with a double to right. After pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella popped out, Fowler made it 3-2 with his only hit of the game.Hammel, trying to win a spot in Chicagos postseason rotation, allowed four hits and walked one during his best outing in a month. The right-hander went 1-4 with an 8.61 ERA in his previous five starts.Hector Rondon worked the eighth before Aroldis Chapman finished for his 15th save with the Cubs and 35th on the year. It was Chapmans first career appearance against Cincinnati, which traded the hard-throwing closer to the New York Yankees last December.PACKING THEM INThe paid attendance of 39,251 ran the Cubs season total to 3,028,965 with five home games left in the regular season. Its the franchises first time drawing more than 3 million since 2011, and the ninth time at Wrigley Field overall.GETTING A CHANCEReds right-hander Josh Smith will make his first start of the season Tuesday. Manager Bryan Price said the game would have a bullpen flavor to it.The Reds need a starter after playing a doubleheader Saturday.Its a good opportunity, said Smith, who threw 62 pitches Saturday. I enjoy starting. Its what I was used to until this year.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Homer Bailey (biceps) is scheduled for another bullpen session Wednesday. Its still possible that hell make a start or two before the year is out, Price said. ... A day after saying CF Billy Hamilton (oblique) was improbable to return this season, Price put SS Zack Cozart (knee) in the same category. Were certainly not going to rush him through the rehab process, Price said.Cubs: OF Jorge Soler (tightness on his right side) could be available to pinch hit on Tuesday, according to Maddon. ... Right-handed reliever Pedro Strop, who is coming back from knee and groin injuries, is on track to pitch in a simulated game soon.UP NEXTSmith (3-1, 4.97 ERA) will be opposed by Cubs LHP Jon Lester (17-4, 2.40), who is 8-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his last 11 starts.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Sports Jerseys From China . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Wholesale Sports Jerseys . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. https://www.discountsportsjerseyscheap.com/ . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. Clearance Sports Jerseys . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Sports Jerseys . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night.Ian Holloway gives his predictions ahead of the Football League play-off semi-final second-leg ties. League OneMillwall v Bradford (3-1 agg) - (Friday from 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD)Millwall are on a roll. Highlights of Millwalls 3-1 first-leg win at Bradford on Sunday We tried to change things when we went there to get the wage bill down to an acceptable level and get some young players in team, who had the right hunger. They seem in a much better place now than when I first walked in despite being a league lower. With one of their own in the dugout, the whole club is pulling in the right direction and they should get the job done at the Den. OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 8/1)Ollies previous predictions... Walsall v Barnsley (0-3 agg) - (Thursday from 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD) Highlights of Barnsleys 3-0 win over Walsall on Saturday I was blown away by Barnsley on Saturday - they were sensational and in Sam Winnall they could have the best player in League One. Not only is he a goal machine, he can also set up his team-mates too. The way he pulled the ball back for Adam Hammill to force the own-goal was equally as impressive as his two goals.Walsall were tactically all over the place. They tried to overplay and didnt suss the impact of the home crowd and the situation - sometimes you have to be more cautious. They now have a mountain to climb against a Barnsley team who have shown automatic promotion form in the league since Christmas. OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (Sky Bet odds 11/1) RESULT - 1-3 (1-6 on agg) - Barnsley reach play-off finalLeague TwoAccrington v Wimbledon (0-1 agg) - (Wednesday from 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD) Highlights of AFC Wimbledons 1-0 win over Accrington on Saturday night Accrington are in the same boat as Brighton. They missed out on automatic promotion by the skin of their teeth and now theyre staring down the barrel of play-off heartbreak.However, Ive got so much time for their manager John Coleman and I can see them getting to Wembley.dddddddddddd. Despite them missing out on the final day, Coleman still had enough class to send a txt to Bristol Rovers manager Daryl Clarke to say congratulations. Ive got a soft spot for Accrington and although Neil Ardley has done a magnificent job at Wimbledon, I think Colemans men deserve to go up. The Accrington front pair of Billy Kee and Josh Windass may just be too hot to handle on their own patch.OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 8/1) - RESULT: - 2-2 (2-3) - AFC Wimbledon reach League One play-off finalBrighton v Sheffield Wednesday (0-2 agg) - (Monday from 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD)I feel for Chris Hughton - Ive never seen a game like it. A game of such magnitude and importance, and for four of your players to go down, is just unbelievable. In the space of a week they could end up losing everything. However, this is life and football can be unfair at times. Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg between Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday. Hughton is a very experienced man and will do his best to put a team together to trouble a confident Wednesday outfit. Theyve got to claw back a two-goal deficit, but I think theyll give it a good go in front of their home fans, who have to create a raucous atmosphere, like the Wednesday fans did on Friday. I urge the Brighton fans to stay with their team.Can Hughtons boys do it? Of course. Will they? Theyll need everything to go their way. They may just fall short.OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 17/2) - RESULT: 1-1 (1-3) - Sheff Wed reach Championship finalHull v Derby (3-0 agg) - (Tuesday from 7.30pm, Sky Sports 2 HD)Hull were magnificent on Saturday. They performed in a way I expected them to do all season. I expect them to see the job through very easily on Tuesday.What happens at that Derby group? Those players have got to grow some. They lack character. You have to have the will do achieve something, not just the skill. It doesnt really matter who the manager is at Derby, whether its Harry Redknapp and Darren Wassall, theres a massive character flaw within that squad. The crowd went quiet. The team went quiet and they went out with a total whimper. No-one takes responsibility. Derby need to have a complete rebuild - there is something wrong at the club. Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg between Hull City and Derby County. The whole group needs to be looked at and questions need to be asked. Compare it to Middlesbrough, where questions were brought up by their manager, he smashed them into place and they achieved their goal.OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 17/2) - RESULT: 0-2 (3-2) - Hull reach Championship final Also See: Brighton preview Baldock hopeful of turnaround Millwall roar to first-leg win Well go for it ' ' '