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Lefty Travis Wood aims for a second win against St. Louis in 10 days on Monday night, when the Chicago Cubs visit Busch Stadium to begin a four-game series with the Cardinals. Wood picked up his second victory of the season -- and fourth of his career against the Cardinals -- on May 2, allowing two earned runs on six hits in seven innings of a 6-5 triumph. He walked none and struck out six batters in the win. In one subsequent start, however, Wood was battered for eight runs on eight hits in just four innings of an 8-3 interleague loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. For the Cardinals, fellow left-hander Tyler Lyons makes his fourth starting bid in search of win No. 1 for 2014. The 26-year-old Texan pitched a scoreless inning of relief against the Cubs in the aforementioned May 2 game, but did not factor in the decision. It was his lone career meeting with Chicago. Lyons pitched six strong innings and allowed four hits and a run in one outing since, getting a no-decision in the Cardinals 2-1 loss at Atlanta on Tuesday after walking one and striking out seven. On Sunday in Atlanta, Evan Gattis and Jason Heyward both homered to back a solid start from Aaron Harang, as the Braves completed a three-game sweep of the Cubs with a 5-2 triumph at Turner Field. Chicago starter Edwin Jackson (2-3) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over six frames to absorb the loss. Nate Schierholtz smacked a two-run double for the Cubs, who have lost seven of their last eight. In Pittsburgh, Allen Craig and Yadier Molina posted a pair of hits to go with an RBI and run scored and the Cardinals hung on to beat the Pirates, 6-5, in the finale of a three-game set. Trailing by two runs going into the ninth, Pittsburgh got a run back when Neil Walker hit a double and Andrew McCutchen singled to plate him and make it 6-5. The Pirates later loaded the bases with none away, but Trevor Rosenthal got Ike Davis to pop out into foul territory and Jordy Mercer to roll into a 1-2-3 double play to end the game and give Rosenthal his 10th save of the season. Shelby Miller (5-2) allowed two runs on four hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings for the Cardinals, who avoided being swept. The Cardinals and Cubs have split six meetings this season. Cheap Hockey Jerseys Authentic .6 seconds left to give the Toronto Raptors a 92-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in an exhibition game Wednesday night. Hockey Jerseys China . -- The Minnesota Vikings released reserve cornerback A. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . Mark Van Guilder, Austin Watson and Colton Sissons also scored for the Admirals (22-13-10), who are 2-0-2 in their last four outings, while Roussel tacked on an assist for a two-point night. Greg Pateryn scored once for the Bulldogs (20-22-4), who lost their fifth straight contest, and also assisted on Gabriel Dumonts goal. Custom Hockey Jerseys . He reps the 4-1-6The insecurity of Canadian basketball fans is not what it once was with the home grown talent making its way to the big leagues, but it is still nice to see the local kids remembering where they come from once they make their way south. Authentic Hockey Jerseys . Right-hander Ricky Nolasco and the Twins agreed to terms on a free-agent contract Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.NEW YORK, N.Y. - The union representing NFL on-field officials criticized the league Thursday for inconsistencies in grading calls, including two high-profile penalties from recent games.In a release, the NFL Referees Association says the NFL has caused confusion for NFL officials as to what the league does and doesnt want called.The union referred to penalties on Washingtons Chris Baker for a hit on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on Sept. 21, and to Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah last Monday night for going to his knees to celebrate an interception return for a touchdown. Abdullah actually had gone to his knees to pray a€” an act exempted from celebration penalties.The union says both calls were graded as correct even after NFL executives announced that they were incorrect. Baker got a 15-yard penalty and was ejected from the game at Philadelphia. Abdullah also received a 15-yard penalty.Consistency in penalty enforcement is extremely important to the players, coaches and fans. Uncertainty as to what the league wants called is not a road you want to go down, said Jim Quirk, executive director of the NFLRA.Quirk noted that Baker was penalized for a blindside block on Foles as a personal foul; a brawl followed near the Washington sideline and Eagles tackle Jason Peters was also ejected.Two days later, Troy Vincent, the NFLs executive vice-president of football operations, said the hit was legal and should not have been penalized. Yet, the NFLRA said, the leagues officiating department a day later graded the call as correct.In the case of the block on Nick Foles, by rule, it was not a foul because the quarterback was pursuing the play, the contact was not to the head or neck area, and the play was not over, NFL spokesman Michael Signora said in an email to The Associated Press. Howeever, the referee a€” watching the play at full speed and without the benefit of a replay review a€” judged that the block was late and threw a flag.dddddddddddd While not a correct call, we understand why it was made.In the case of Abdullah, a devout Muslim who took off a year from football to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the league said Tuesday that the penalty was in error.The leagues rule book prohibits players from celebrating while on the ground, but spokesman Michael Signora wrote in an email Tuesday that the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play.But, according to the union, officials who made the call were given correct grades by the officiating department on Thursday. That could be because Abdullah could have been penalized for sliding on his knees before actually praying.But the league reiterated Thursday what it announced earlier this week, that the call was incorrect and not graded otherwise.As part of evaluating the performance of our game officials, the officiating supervisors recognize that for an incorrect call on a close judgment play, the official may have used appropriate reasoning, Signora said. On such a call, the official is not downgraded.Regardless, said former NFLRA President Scott Green, a recently retired referee, theres a communications problem between the NFL and its game officials.It seems there is a disconnect between what the officiating department expects from officials and the public statements being made by league executives, Green said. It certainly creates uncertainty for the guys making split-second decisions on the field.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '