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CHICAGO -- For the Cincinnati Reds, there was no better place to open a 10-game trip than Wrigley Field. Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Friday for their 16th win in their last 17 games at the Friendly Confines. Making his third start, Simon (2-1) allowed an unearned run in six-plus innings and sent the Cubs to their fifth straight loss. Simon, in the rotation while Mat Latos recovers from elbow and knee injuries, had made 99 relief appearances for the Reds before getting a chance to start this year. "Hes wanted more opportunity. Weve given that to him," manager Bryan Price said. "I think it was a good idea that we brought him into camp to start in case we had an injury or didnt have the depth. And our good fortune is that he came in ready to go and had a great spring and is off to a good start." Simon struck out three and walked two. "I feel great," he said. "I just tried to keep the ball down today and just try to (get ground balls)." Jonathan Broxton pitched a hitless ninth for his second save in two tries, completing a six-hitter for the Reds, who stretched their winning streak to a season-best three and have won four of five. Cincinnati, which won last years season series 14-5, went ahead on Billy Hamiltons RBI double in the fifth. The Reds made it 3-0 in the sixth when Zack Cozart hit a bases-loaded grounder to third, and second baseman Emilio Bonifacios relay for a double-play attempt went wide of first for an error that allowed Ryan Ludwick to score from second. Ludwick had reached on catchers interference by Welington Castillo. "Believe me, we dont take it for granted that were coming in here to win all the games," Price said. "I mean, we want to but we dont take it for granted at all." Jeff Samardzija (0-2) gave up three runs -- one earned -- and six hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. He is 0-4 despite a 3.86 ERA in 10 starts since winning at San Diego on Aug. 24. "Its a tough day to hit with that wind," he said. "Its just the way it goes sometimes. You cant let it get to you." Luis Valbuena hit an RBI single in the seventh, ending a 24-inning scoreless streak for the Cubs dating to Sundays loss to St. Louis. Cincinnati scored another run in the eighth on a wild pitch by Justin Grimm. "I think we were a little sloppy in general, and Jeff really kept us in the ballgame throughout," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "I think well do better." NOTES: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips left in the middle of the third, two innings after he felt back spasms after he swung and missed a Samardzija pitch. Price said Phillips was removed as a precaution and said he was hopeful Phillips could play Saturday. ... Price said LHP Aroldis Chapman has been cleared to throw batting practice for the first time since he was hit in the face by a line drive during an exhibition game on March 19. ... Reds LHP Sean Marshall (sore left shoulder) has rejoined the Reds and could be activated this weekend. ... The Reds stole five bases. ... Jon Tinker, a grandson of former Cubs Hall of Fame shortstop Joe Tinker of Tinker to Evers to Chance fame, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... Cincinnatis scheduled starter Saturday is LHP Tony Cingrani (1-1), while RHP Edwin Jackson (0-1) is to start for the Cubs. Wholesale Air Max Plus . The Thornhill, Ont., native, who is ranked 11th in the world, said hed hoped he would be ready when Canada begins its World Group first-round tie against Japan in Tokyo on Friday. Cheap Air Max Plus For Sale .J. - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could beneficial for players. http://www.discountairmaxplus.com/ . Didnt need any help this time. Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings, and Chicago stalled the Reds week-long surge with a 2-0 victory Monday night. Cheap Air Max Plus From China .com) - Devan Dubnyk stopped all 30 shots fired his way and made several big saves down the stretch for his third shutout of the season as the Minnesota Wild beat the Calgary Flames 1-0 on Tuesday. Nike Air Max Plus Outlet . No surprise there. Kershaw, who also earned the title after throwing his first career no-hitter in June, had a 1. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse was teetering on the brink, trailing nemesis Pittsburgh by a point with less than two minutes to play and the home crowd doing its best to rattle the Panthers. Amid all that late-game drama on Saturday stood Orange freshman point guard Tyler Ennis, an island of serenity inside the raucous Carrier Dome, and he simply did what he does best -- he took control. Ennis, from Brampton, Ont., converted two layups -- one with each hand through the middle of the Pitt defence -- and swished two free throws to complete a 16-point afternoon for the No. 2 Orange, who won 59-54 and improved to 18-0 and 5-0 atop the Atlantic Coast Conference. "He made some of the best plays that Ive seen in a long time," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said, comparing Ennis with Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara, who as freshmen led the Orange to the 2003 national championship. "You dont get to the basket against Pittsburgh." Ennis shrugged, happy that his team had won again. "Its really just the perfect situation," said Ennis, another of those rising stars from Canada. "I have a lot of teammates who have a lot of confidence and can make plays, and they make me look really good." The low-key Ennis hasnt attracted the attention usually associated with such a key player -- heck, he doesnt even have a tattoo -- but hes easily one of the best freshmen in the country. Entering this week, his assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.13 (99 assists with 24 turnovers) ranked fourth nationally, and only two other freshmen were in the top 50. Virginias London Perrantes was 33rd at 2.77 (61 assists, 22 turnovers), while UCLAs Bryce Alford was 48th at 2.57 (54 assists, 21 turnovers). "Ive used the word comical a lot this year. His assist-to-turnover ratio is almost comical," said McNamara, who coaches the Orange guards. "His feel is as good as Ive ever watched. I said that about Michael (Carter-Williams) last year. Tylers in that same realm. Its difficult to speed him up. He plays at the pace that he wants to play at." Even Enniss dad, Tony McIntyre, cant explain his sons emotional maturity. ";He has always been that way.ddddddddddddHe doesnt show much emotion," said McIntyre, co-founder of the AAU basketball program CIA Bounce in the Toronto suburb of Brampton, Ontario. "Early on, I had to ask him, Do you even like basketball? It seems like youre bored. He said, I get excited when my players do well. "Hes just a smart kid. He thinks like a coach. If hes panicky, everybody else will panic. A point guard is supposed to be out there to make the four guys with him the best. Guys play harder with a guy they know theyll get the ball from, and hes never not won." Despite the departure of last seasons backcourt -- Brandon Triche graduated after four years and Carter-Williams was an NBA lottery pick after his stellar sophomore season -- the Orange are riding high with the 6-foot-2 Ennis running the offence. He also ranks third on the team in scoring (11.9), second in minutes (33.6), and tops in steals (48), a threat to eclipse the school record of 111 set last season by Carter-Williams. "Hes making everybody else score," said Orange guard Trevor Cooney, whos rediscovered his shooting touch with Ennis at his side, averaging nearly 14 points. "Hes always going to make the right play, and that makes us so much better." His dad said it all started 19 years ago. "Within four days after he was born, we brought the stroller into the gym with him in it," McIntyre said. "From that day, he never spent a day without basketball. He didnt have a choice." However, he played lacrosse and spent time on Canadas national game as a youngster. That helped hone Enniss basketball skills because he learned the nuances of the screen and roll. "He really excelled at it," McIntyre said. "At that time, he was way better in lacrosse." Not anymore. "We knew he was going to be great. We knew the potential and the maturity on the floor," said Mark Taylor, Enniss high school coach at St. Benedicts Prep in New Jersey. "He never gets out of control and hes the same off the court. Thats a rare thing -- to have a player that calm and humble." ' ' '