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CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo was responsible for two of Chicagos 17 strikeouts Sunday. He also had the biggest hit of the game for the Cubs. Rizzo hit a game-ending RBI single in the 12th inning, and the Cubs beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Last-place Chicago struck out 44 times in the weekend series, setting a team record for three consecutive games, but Rizzo and touted rookie Javier Baez had two hits apiece to key a 13-hit attack in the finale. Carlos Villanueva (5-6) pitched a scoreless inning to earn the victory. "We ran into three good pitchers, and their bullpen is very good, too," Rizzo said. "Obviously, we dont see them very often, so that makes it even tougher. Strikeouts are part of the game now. They happen." Baez struck out in the 12th, but reached on a wild pitch that moved Ryan Sweeney to third. Baez moved to second on another wild pitch by Cesar Ramos (2-4) before Rizzo lined a single over a five-man infield and into right-centre field. "It didnt bother me," Rizzo said of the crowded infield. "Im not a ground-ball hitter." The Rays lost for only the fifth time in their last 23 road games. They trail Kansas City by 6 1/2 games in the race for the second AL wild card. Tampa Bay grabbed a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Brandon Guyer got it started with a leadoff single against Neil Ramirez, who returned from the disabled list before the game. Guyer stole second and moved to third on a groundout before Desmond Jennings drove him in with a double. The Cubs responded with a two-out rally in the bottom half against Grant Balfour. Sweeney doubled and scored on Chris Coghlans triple. Rays right-hander Alex Cobb pitched six innings of one-run ball. He allowed six hits, struck out six and walked none. "Spectacular," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of his teams pitching in the series. Travis Wood matched Cobb with a strong performance for the Cubs. The left-hander allowed an unearned run and four hits in six innings, but remains winless in his last 10 starts. Wood, one of the best hitting pitchers in the majors, also helped himself with a one-out single in the fifth. He moved up on a groundout and scored on Baezs single to centre. Baezs run-scoring hit atoned for an error in the top half that allowed a run to score. Curt Casali started the inning with a double for the Rays second hit of the game. Logan Forsythe walked with one out before Jennings hit a slow roller to second base. The charging Baez retrieved the ball in time to make the play, only to have his off-balance throw sail wide of first base. SO FAR Baez, who was promoted from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, hit .276 with three homers and five RBIs in his first five major league games. The 21-year-old Baez also was charged with two errors in the field. "We want him to trust his skill set," manager Rick Renteria said. "We also dont him to feel that he has to carry the team." NO RELIEF IN SIGHT Renteria conceded that bullpen management has been his greatest challenge as a first-year manager, a task made even greater by a slew of close games. Cubs relievers began the day with the third-most innings in the majors this season. "Thats one of the reasons why we carry eight relievers," Renteria said. "It has kind of worked out for the most part, but it is challenging, and well continue to do the best we can." ON DECK Rays left-hander Drew Smyly (6-10) is scheduled to open a four-game series at Texas on Monday night. Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (6-3) will take the mound for the start of a four-game set versus the Brewers on Monday. Fake Vans For Sale .The league also seems to have a fairly active Twitter account www.twitter.com/bikinihockey that features the description “We provide a positive alternative to the hockey community and a venue for adult female hockey athletes to continue in their sport. Fake Vans 2020 .55 million euros (US$18.6 million) to Spanish tax authorities on Monday to cover any potential irregularities in its signing of Neymar, all the while maintaining its innocence of the fraud charges levied against it. https://www.vansfake.com/. Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. Fake Vans . The Toronto Maple Leafs were holding a news conference, so they got curious. It didnt take long for them to find out via social media that coach Randy Carlyle was coming back — with a two-year extension — and assistants Greg Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish were being let go. Fake Vans From China . Nine-year veteran Danny Granger did not make his debut with the Clippers because of a technicality on the teams active list, which is signed by coach Doc Rivers before every game and relayed to the officials. Grangers name was printed by hand by a member of the public relations staff under the heading: "Updated Roster Additions," but the number on the sheet was not circled along with the other active players by the required deadline of 6:30 p. RENTON, Wash. -- Earl Thomas was late to the announcement for his own contract extension, proving the Seattle Seahawks All-Pro free safety isnt just fast on the field. Driving a little too speedy to the Seahawks facility on Tuesday morning made Thomas late after getting pulled over. "I didnt try and bulldog him and say, My name is Earl Thomas. Because then he would be like, This dude is cocky, and give me a ticket," Thomas joked. "He let me off. Thats the moral of the story." Thomas was locked up through the 2018 season when the Seahawks announced a four-year contract extension making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL. The deal is worth $40 million over four years and includes $27.7 million in guaranteed money. Thomas wanted the title of highest-paid safety. He also wanted the responsibility that comes with that. Thomas was hoping to get a long-term deal in place before the Seahawks start organized team activities later this month so there were no distractions heading into the 2014 season. "I compete in everything that I do and I want to set the bar. That was my goal," Thomas said. Thomas was Seattles second first-round pick in the 2010 draft, the first with coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider leading the franchise. Its turned out to be one of the most important selections the team has made since starting a makeover with the duo in charge of moulding the Seahawks into a championship club. Thomas is a two-time first-team All-Pro selection and regarded as the top safety in the NFL. The Seahawks would be a different defensive team if they didnt have Thomas skills at their disposal. His speed allows Thomas uncommon range in coverage. Hes become more disciplined staying within Seattles defensive framework, and Thomas has remained reliable at cleaning up any problems in the back. "II think the thing that comes to the front for me is this program has always been based on competition.dddddddddddd When we look for players and coaches to add to our club were always looking for great competitors," Carroll said. "When we had the chance to take Earl, I dont know that I appreciated it as much as I do now the great competitor that he is. He has throughout the time hes been with us as a very young man, has played at the highest level he can generate every single day that hes played for us in this organization." Thomas gets the second major extension Seattle has announced this off-season after locking up Carroll through 2016. Now the question is if the Seahawks can get an extension done with All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman. Staying in-house has been the Seahawks priority this off-season; they also took care of bringing back defensive end Michael Bennett. "Sherm has everything under control. Hell take care of it," Thomas said. Schneider said the commitment to Thomas is another signal that Seattle doesnt intend on being a contender or a champion just once. "I think youre seeing an evolution of our development in terms of acquisition and how were building this team to be a consistent championship-calibre team," Schneider said. "We talk about it all the time we dont want to be a team that cruises in and cruises out." Thomas wanted to share the day with those close to him. He made sure one of the photo ops before the formal announcement included most of the defensive coaching staff, along with teammate Kam Chancellor, who signed an extension through 2017 last off-season. "Thats my family. Thats the people that have helped me," Thomas said. "... You learn from everybody, every opportunity you get. I dont waste my time. I invest everything." ' ' '