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SAN DIEGO -- Other than one bad pitch, Chicago Cubs left-hander Travis Wood had a pretty good night. Wood came within five outs of pitching his first career shutout before allowing Carlos Quentins pinch-hit, two-run home run, and Chicago held on to beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 Saturday night. Wood (5-4) hit an RBI single and Luis Valbuena homered for the Cubs, who bounced back from an 11-1 loss Friday night. Wood allowed two runs and three hits in 7 1-3 innings, struck out three and walked two. "I felt good all game," Wood said. "I made a bad pitch there to Quentin. I wanted a cutter in, but didnt quite get it all the way in there and he got through it. But other than that everything was working pretty good all game." Quentin, who missed the previous four games with a groin injury, hit an 86 mph pitch an estimated 405 feet off the left-field facade with one out in the eighth to chase Wood. Quentin has five career pinch homers and two in one week. Yasmani Grandal was aboard on a one-out walk. Other than that, "my fastball was locating down and I got some quick outs there," Wood said. "All in all, no complaints other than one pitch, but thats going to happen." Quentin also hit a two-run, pinch homer last Saturday at Colorado. He hurt his groin on Sunday and hadnt played until Saturday nights appearance. "Thats a hard thing to do to pinch-hit -- one of the hardest roles in our game to come off the bench without playing and go step in the batters box against pitcher and hit a home run," manager Bud Black said. "That is hard to do and he has done it twice in a week. "When Carlos does that, that is what we expect," Black said. "He is a dynamic offensive player and our team changes." Problem is, the Padres havent seen much of Quentin this year. He missed the first 39 games after starting the season on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left knee. "He makes us better," Black said. "Hes arguably our best offensive player each and every night he is in the game." Valbuena extended his hitting streak to eight games when he drove an 88 mph fastball from Billy Buckner into the right field seats with one out in the sixth. It was his third. Nate Schierholtz doubled to right with two outs. The Padres intentionally walked Darwin Barney to get to Wood, who singled up the middle to drive in Schierholtz. Valbuena also scored in the fourth, reaching on a walk, advancing on Welington Castillos single and coming in on Schierholtzs base hit. Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances. Buckner (0-1) started in place of Andrew Cashner, who is on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. Buckners contract was purchased earlier Saturday from Triple-A El Paso. He allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings, struck out four and walked three. NOTES: In a pregame ceremony, the Padres honoured first responders involved in fighting last weeks wildfires. The players and coaches formed two lines in the outfield and greeted the first responders as they walked in from the warning track. ... Cashner played long toss for the first time since going on the disabled list, retroactive to May 15. Cashner will throw again Sunday. . RHP Tim Stauffer pitched well enough in Fridays win over the Cubs to earn another start. It will come on Wednesday at Arizona. . Newly acquired LHP Troy Patton, acquired from Baltimore in Saturdays trade for C Nick Hundley, will complement LHP Alex Torres in the bullpen. He should arrive in San Diego on Sunday. . Cubs OF Justin Ruggiano could rejoin the team on the road trip; hes been on the DL since April 24 with a strained hamstring. Ruggiano played consecutive games in Triple-A Iowa on Thursday and Friday. . Padres RHP Ian Kennedy (2-6, 3.79) faces Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.91) in Sundays series finale. Orlando Pace Womens Jersey . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No. Cory Littleton Womens Jersey . Maximilian Arnold put Wolfsburg ahead in the eighth minute, when the stationary Fallou Diagne allowed him to guide Patrick Ochs cross beyond the helpless Freiburg goalkeeper, and Ivica Olic doubled the lead three minutes later after Luiz Gustavo did well to set him up. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/marshall-faulk-jersey/. Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Tyler Higbee Womens Jersey . And like the near entirety of last season, Jonathan Bernier and Torontos goaltending tandem is up to the task. Cory Littleton Jersey . The San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders are giving it a try, too.7) While were on the subject of kicking in the CFL, why dont coaches use a rule that invites the idea of a short kickoff at any and all times? If a kicker can put the ball high in the air at least 10 yards away, volleyball tactics can take over and if a member of the kicking team can bat the ball out of bounds, or otherwise be the last player to touch the ball, possession is awarded. As I see it, if the kicker is proficient, theres at least a 50-50 chance of recovering the ball every time.8) Have you ever heard one of those intermission reports with comments from an NHL assistant coach that contained interesting information? Now, I can answer "yes". MSGs John Giannone quoted Ulf Samuelsson of the Rangers as saying, following Sundays second period against Edmonton: "That could be the worst Ive seen since Ive been here and Ive seen a lot of games. Were getting crushed by Edmonton in our building and thats embarrassing." Im not sure if head coach Alain Vigneault liked the fact his thunder was stolen, but if assistant coaches are going to be fed to broadcasters, they might as well say something.9) Whos your NFL MVP? Id have voted for Peyton Manning if he hadnt lost to Tom Brady, and Ill vote for Andrew Luck if he out-performs Brady this Sunday, but otherwise, I guess Im voting for Brady.10) How do you feel if youre Patric Hornqvist? You get traded from the Nashville Predators to the Pittsburgh Penguins and you find yourself on Sidney Crosbys line and youre part of the NHLs best power play, all of which helps you to score 18 points in 13 games, good for a fifth-place tie in NHL scoring. I guess you feel pretty good.11) If youre a pro golfer, do you care if your first win on the PGA Tour is at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi in early November? If youre Nick Taylor, born in Winnipeg and raised in Abbotsford, I guess you dont. It beats your first win being in the future.12) How many games will the Philadelphia 76ers win in this NBA season? I think its pretty easy to fix the over-under number at 10. And I think its pretty hard to decide which way to go.13) Is Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions still the NFLs dirtiest player? I think not, because he is now better recognized as the NFLs best defensive lineman not named J.ddddddddddddJ. Watt. And he wants to be paid accordingly. The bad reputation brought too many flags, and ultimately, not enough dollars in his next contract, which is due prior to next season.14) Last week here, I nominated Ryan Miller (VAN), Jonas Hiller (CGY) and Radim Vrbata (VAN) as the best NHL free agent signings. I didnt give an answer. Can I do that now? Its Anton Stralman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.15) Do you think Rene Bourque was more surprised when the Montreal Canadiens waived him, or when no other team claimed him?16) Chien Ming-Wang, armed with a minor-league contract, will be at the spring training camp of an MLB team. You have at least two questions, Im sure. Why? and Surely not the Blue Jays camp? I only know why its not the Blue Jays camp. In his last three starts for Toronto in 2013, Chien allowed 18 runs over six and one-third innings. In 2015, he will hope to pitch for Atlanta.17) Whats harder - understanding how the Arizona Cardinals have the NFLs best record with Carson Palmer at quarterback, or expecting that to continue without Carson Palmer at quarterback?18) How do you feel about point differential as a meaningful NBA stat? The Toronto Raptors lead the NBA at +11.6. The Houston Rockets are next at +11.0. That says something to me. (Of course, Torontos 32-point blowout of the aforementioned Philly 76ers has something to do with it. The Rockets had their shot at Philly and won by only 11).19) When the Tampa Bay Rays listed the names of eight candidates for their managerial post vacated by Joe Maddon, it was assumed that the next list would be shorter. Instead, it is larger, with the names of Barry Larkin and Doug Glanville newly added. Do you like this idea? The Rays are just the latest team to use social media to make their job search transparent. Next thing you know, the fan-starved Rays will be selling ticket packages with voting privileges included.20) If Calgarys Johnny Gaudreau wins NHL rookie honours, hell be the first Calder Trophy recipient selected No. 100 or higher in the draft (No. 104) since ______? (The answer is goalie Andrew Raycroft, chosen in 1998 by the Boston Bruins after 134 other players had been taken). ' ' '