Wood delivered in a big way at the plate and was in line for the win before New York rallied from a 4-0 deficit.

CHICAGO -- It didnt matter much to Anthony Rizzo that the Chicago Cubs finally swept a series. Oscar Klefbom Jersey . Winning three straight? Thats what registered with him. Rizzo hit a tiebreaking homer, Travis Wood went deep and drove in three runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 7-4 Thursday night to complete the three-game sweep. Rizzos solo drive off Vic Black (1-1) with one out in the seventh gave the Chicago a lead after they wasted a four-run lead. Andrew Browns two-run shot tied it 4-all in the top half. Junior Lake added a two-run triple in the eighth, and the Cubs came away with their first series sweep since they took three at San Francisco last July 26-28. "I know we won three games in a row, whether its a sweep or not," Rizzo said. "Its just nice to win ... especially in a series where we played good baseball." Wood delivered in a big way at the plate and was in line for the win before New York rallied from a 4-0 deficit. He hit a two-run homer in the second off Jacob deGrom after Luis Valbuena was ruled safe at home on a sacrifice fly to left following a replay review on what would have been the third out to give Chicago a 3-0 lead. And Wood drove in another run with a fielders choice grounder in the fourth. "I feel like were commanded to hit in this league, so you want to try to be as best as you can," said Wood, who has two homers this season and eight in his career. The Mets scored two while chasing Wood in the sixth and tied it in the seventh when Brown, who was recalled from Triple-A earlier in the day, connected off Justin Grimm. Rizzo, however, put the Cubs back on top with a long drive to right-centre on a 3-1 pitch for his team-leading 11th homer. Grimm (2-2) got the win. Pedro Strop stranded two runners in the eighth before Lake made it a three-run game in the bottom half. Neil Ramirez then converted his first save opportunity, retiring the side in the ninth, and the Cubs swept three from New York at Wrigley Field for the first time since April 2004. The Mets went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners after leaving 10 on in each of the previous two games. It added up to a sweep by a team with the worst record in the National League. "When they all got big league uniforms on, theyre major leaguers," New York manager Terry Collins said. "Theyre trying to beat you just as much as youre trying to beat them. Once in a while they play good, you dont play good, youre gonna get your butt kicked. Thats the way it is, thats just the way it is around here." They wasted several opportunities against Wood, who gave up two runs and five hits in five-plus innings. He tied a season high with five walks but kept pitching out of trouble until the Mets knocked him out in the sixth. He left with a run in after giving up a leadoff walk to Brown and back-to-back singles by Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada. Young added an RBI single off Brian Schlitter with two out, cutting it to 4-2, before Curtis Granderson popped out to end the rally. DeGrom gave up four runs and five hits over five innings and remained winless in five starts for New York. NOTES: The Cubs observed a moment of silence before the game for Don Zimmer, who managed the 1989 team to the NL East crown. Zimmer spent 66 years in pro baseball and was still working as a senior adviser for the Tampa Bay Rays before he died Wednesday at 83. He had been in a Florida rehab centre since heart surgery in mid-April. "I lived in St. Petersburg for 12 years, so I saw Don a lot," Collins said. "Its a sad day for baseball. One of the truly iconic baseball personalities in the game. I grew up a Dodgers fan and this guy was one of the great Dodgers. If it wasnt for Pee Wee (Reese) he would have had a tremendous career." ... Mets prized pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard left Thursdays start for Triple-A Las Vegas after experiencing discomfort in his left shoulder following a tag play at the plate. New York said he had precautionary X-rays and the results are pending. It was his first start after returning from the DL because of a mild strain in his right elbow. ... Chicago took Indiana C-OF Kyle Schwarber with the fourth pick in the draft. Wayne Gretzky Jersey . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. Jean-Francois Jacques Jersey .Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself. http://www.hockeyoilersshop.com/andrej-sekera-jersey/ .com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers made it official Tuesday and signed pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four-year contract.PHOENIX - The sideshow is over, which means Marshawn Lynch can go back to not talking and this realization can become obvious again: The Seattle Seahawks are still the best defensive team in football.And as we saw in last years Super Bowl, defence still usually wins.Weve got a lot of big-name guys, but you would never know because they work like theyre just average players, Seattle linebacker Bruce Irvin said.They never let the starting get to their head and I think thats the biggest difference. Guys always come to work ready to work. I think that separates us from a lot of teams that we practice our tails off. We bust our butts during the week so when Sunday comes its much easier.Therein lays the challenge in Seattles attempt on Sunday to become the first team in a decade to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles facing New England. For as important a role as Lynch might end up playing, whether Seattle is lifting a second straight Lombardi Trophy will be dictated by its defence.The outcome is certainly deeper than just how Seattle plays defensively. Has Seattle fully recovered emotionally from the NFC title game and its remarkable comeback against Green Bay just to get to the Super Bowl?Can Russell Wilson be an effective passer against a New England secondary that with Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner is far better than the one Wilson faced as a rookie? And where is Lynchs head after a week where he was the centre of attention?The difference is Seattles defence has shown its capable of overcoming those problems to win games.The only evidence needed is what the Seahawks did in the NFC championship game. Three times in the first half the Packers took possession inside the Seattle 35 and came away with only nine points. That defence allowed the Seahawks to hang around long enough to post its late rally.There is a reason Seattle is beeing mentioned in the same category as the Purple People Eaters, the Steel Curtain, and the Monsters of the Midway. Connor McDavid Jersey. They have accomplished statistical feats that havent been seen in nearly 30 years. The best scoring defence. The best at stopping the pass. The best overall.All they need is another Super Bowl title to add credence to their status.People hate us because, you know, when you talk a lot of smack, people usually hate you, Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett said. But when you talk a lot of smack and you back it up, they hate you even more.So how does Seattle earn a second title with its defence? By not giving up big plays. They allowed only 39 plays of 20 or more yards the entire regular season and just 17 of those in the final eight games.And thats not the strength of the Patriots. New England ranked 26th in the league in offensive plays of 20 or more yards.Make the Patriots move in small chunks. Get to Tom Brady just enough to throw off his timing. Make sure LeGarrette Blount and the New England run game doesnt get started. And keep Rob Gronkowski from taking over the game.Sounds like a lot. But if successful, Seattle will be put in position to do what no team has done before because of the way its been constructed.They are talented. They are still young. And they have most of their core players together through at least the 2017 season with financial flexibility. Some of that extra money will be consumed by a new contract for Wilson, but there will still be room to supplement what Seattle has already created.Thats what makes the potential for Sunday so unique. There has never been a team to win three straight Super Bowls and that will be all the talk for Pete Carroll and his crew going into next season:Seahawks 23, Patriots 19___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '