NEWS » nt off without a hitch. Organizers poked a

PITTSBURGH -- John Lackey fielded phone calls from plenty of interested teams in the offseason. Yet the veteran pitcher opted for the Chicago Cubs.Sure, the money was good. The opportunity was even better.I had some pretty good offers from other people and I chose this one for a reason, Lackey said. Its all here.Looks like it.Lackey worked through five innings, Chris Coghlan hit a three-run triple and the Cubs held off the staggering Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Tuesday night. Coghlans second-inning drive off the wall in right-center against Ryan Vogelsong (3-7) gave the NL Central champions all the offense they would need to win for the seventh time in their last eight games. Chicago improved to 101-56, the clubs highest victory total since it won 104 games in 1910.Pittsburgh was eliminated from postseason contention when San Francisco won later Tuesday, ending a run of three-straight playoff appearances.Dexter Fowler added an RBI double for the Cubs. Lackey (11-8) worked around five hits and three walks to win his last regular season start. The 37-year-old finished his 14th season 11-8 with a 3.35 ERA and has looked fresh since a stint on the disabled list to rest his right shoulder. Lackey is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA since coming off the DL earlier this month.The rest was good for him, manager Joe Maddon said. Hes going into the postseason well rested. Just got to keep these guys sharp.Lackeys next start will be in the playoffs, a time of year the two-time World Series champion knows well. Hes 8-5 with a 3.11 ERA in the postseason and doesnt think Maddon will need to do anything too extravagant to keep him engaged during the lengthy downtime.I dont know about (simulation) games, Lackey said. I can throw a bullpen and be just fine. I dont need to see somebody up there. I know how to throw the ball over the plate.Felix Pena recorded the final two outs for his first career save after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run single off Justin Grimm to get the Pirates within two. Pena struck out Sean Rodriguez with the bases loaded to end it.Overall we did play pretty well, Maddon said. We got everybody involved, which is good. Theres a lot to be happy with.Vogelsong allowed four runs in five innings and fell to 0-3 with a 9.55 ERA in September. The 39-year-old managed to get out of a two-on situation in the first but couldnt in the second. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases for Coghlan. The outfielder narrowly missed his first career grand slam when the ball landed just below the top of the fence. He sped to third for his second triple since rejoining Chicago in a trade with Oakland in June.Just an unacceptable start, Vogelsong said. No excuses. Just unacceptable.Lackey made sure it stood, though not without some shaky moments. He needed a double play to thwart a potentially big inning in the second and his defense bailed him out when Jordy Mercers line drive with the bases loaded in the fourth went straight to second baseman Munenori Kawasaki, who flipped to second to double off Rodriguez.The Pirates went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position -- both hits coming in the ninth -- and left 11 men on base.STREAK ENDSPittsburgh reliever Juan Nicasio gave up two runs in the ninth and failed to record a strikeout for the first time in 34 appearances, ending his club-record streak.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: OF Jorge Soler remained in Chicago while dealing with tightness in his side but could rejoin the team in Cincinnati on Friday. Maddon said an MRI on Soler came back negative, but with the division already clinched theres no rush to get Soler back on the field. Side bothers him, nothing horrible, nothing to be highly concerned about, Maddon said. I dont know what we think right now, except that it wasnt bad.Pirates: LF Starling Marte remained out of the starting lineup with back stiffness and grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the fifth. The All-Star has just three plate appearances -- all as a pinch hitter -- since Sept. 5. My brothers are out there battling and I wish I could get out there with them, Marte said.UP NEXT:Cubs: Jake Arrieta (18-7, 2.85 ERA) makes his final start of the regular season. The 2015 Cy Young Award winner is 9-1 with a 1.46 ERA in 12 career starts against the Pirates.Pirates: Rookie Jameson Taillon (4-4, 3.49) faces the Cubs for the second time this season. Chicago touched him for four runs in four innings of a 10-5 loss on June 19.DreMont Jones Jersey . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Courtland Sutton Womens Jersey . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.broncosrookiestore.com/Broncos-Drew-Lock-Jersey/ . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Custom Denver Broncos Jerseys . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Shannon Sharpe Jersey . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short.CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Jessica Thomas scored 21 points, Keyona Hayes had 18 and No. 18 Miami defeated Old Dominion 66-56 on Sunday for its seventh consecutive win.The Hurricanes (7-1) led 43-40 entering the fourth quarter after trailing 25-23 at the half. Thomas opened the final period with a 3-pointer, added another after a Monarch basket and Hayes had a 3-point play to make it 52-42 with7:24 to play.A steal and layup by Erykah Davenport pushed the margin to 15 midway through the quarteer and Thomas made four free throws in the final minute after the lead was cut to single digits.ddddddddddddMiami made 7 of 12 shots and 6 of 9 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes finished 18 of 25 from the line while Old Dominion was 10 of 19.Jennie Simms had 24 points and Destinee Young had 12 points and 13 boards for the Monarchs (3-3). ' ' '