ways to maintain that such as in Gottliebs case.It is a re

CHICAGO -- Dexter Fowler hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the seventh inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Monday night.Fowlers line drive into center field capped a three-run rally for the Cubs after they were shut down by Tim Adleman most of the night. It also made a winner of Jason Hammel (15-9), who pitched seven solid innings.Jason Heyward added a two-run homer in the eighth as the Cubs moved seven games ahead of Washington for the best record in the National League, lowering their magic number for clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs to five. Thats the only major goal still out there during the regular season for major league-leading Chicago after it secured the NL Central title last week.Brandon Phillips homered for last-place Cincinnati, which has lost five of six. Joey Votto went 2 for 3 with an RBI single and a walk, increasing his batting average since the All-Star break to .416.The Reds allowed three more homers to run their season total to 242, breaking the major league record of 241 belonging to the 1996 Detroit Tigers.The Cubs (95-55) were coming off a lackluster series against the Brewers, dropping three of four while celebrating their division title, and manager Joe Maddon met with his hitters before facing the Reds to talk to them about making the most of the final part of the season.Its unusual being in this position like we are right now, Maddon said after the meeting. So youve got two weeks of baseball, major league baseball, left in September, so lets work on some stuff. Lets work on things that we need to work on individually or as a group.There was no sign of any carry-over from the meeting before Addison Russell led off the seventh with a drive to left for his 21st homer. Willson Contreras crushed another homer with one out, tying it at 2 and chasing Adleman from the longest start of his rookie year.Chris Coghlan greeted Blake Wood (6-4) with a double to right. After pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella popped out, Fowler made it 3-2 with his only hit of the game.Hammel, trying to win a spot in Chicagos postseason rotation, allowed four hits and walked one during his best outing in a month. The right-hander went 1-4 with an 8.61 ERA in his previous five starts.Hector Rondon worked the eighth before Aroldis Chapman finished for his 15th save with the Cubs and 35th on the year. It was Chapmans first career appearance against Cincinnati, which traded the hard-throwing closer to the New York Yankees last December.PACKING THEM INThe paid attendance of 39,251 ran the Cubs season total to 3,028,965 with five home games left in the regular season. Its the franchises first time drawing more than 3 million since 2011, and the ninth time at Wrigley Field overall.GETTING A CHANCEReds right-hander Josh Smith will make his first start of the season Tuesday. Manager Bryan Price said the game would have a bullpen flavor to it.The Reds need a starter after playing a doubleheader Saturday.Its a good opportunity, said Smith, who threw 62 pitches Saturday. I enjoy starting. Its what I was used to until this year.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Homer Bailey (biceps) is scheduled for another bullpen session Wednesday. Its still possible that hell make a start or two before the year is out, Price said. ... A day after saying CF Billy Hamilton (oblique) was improbable to return this season, Price put SS Zack Cozart (knee) in the same category. Were certainly not going to rush him through the rehab process, Price said.Cubs: OF Jorge Soler (tightness on his right side) could be available to pinch hit on Tuesday, according to Maddon. ... Right-handed reliever Pedro Strop, who is coming back from knee and groin injuries, is on track to pitch in a simulated game soon.UP NEXTSmith (3-1, 4.97 ERA) will be opposed by Cubs LHP Jon Lester (17-4, 2.40), who is 8-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his last 11 starts.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Sean Monahan Jersey . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace. Daniel Pribyl Jersey . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. http://www.cheapflamesjerseyschina.com/doug-gilmour-jersey/ . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Travis Hamonic Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Matt Bartkowski Jersey . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. SAN FRANCISCO -- Lindsay Gottlieb wants California to be in the conversation when it comes to top-tier womens basketball.She has built a program in Berkeley that is still growing, and Gottlieb is sticking around to see it through for the long haul.Last week, the sixth-year coach finalized a contract extension through the 2020-21 season, adding three more years to her previous deal.You look at womens basketball and there are a handful of programs that are elite, Gottlieb said Thursday. I want to be one of those places where people associate Cal with womens basketball. ... I really do believe in what were doing here.The school announced the move Thursday, when Gottlieb was in attendance at Pac-12 media day.From the moment she returned to Cal as head coach in April 2011, Gottlieb spoke of developing a perennial NCAA Tournament contender -- and this move provides her program with stability going forward and benefits on the recruiting trail.The 39-year-old Gottlieb, the 2012-13 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, is 118-51 at Cal and guided the Golden Bears to the programs first Final Four in 2013. She signed a new deal after that taking her through the 2017-18 season.Gottlieb was previously a top assistant at the school, then spent three years as head coach at Santa Barbara before returning to Berkeley.Its where she wants to be, in the Bay Area and a place that supports women in basketball and all fields.Personally, the place has changed my life. Its been the greatest impact on my professional career, she said. An extension to say, `We want you hhere for the next five years, is really for me very meaningful.ddddddddddddThe Bears are picked sixth in the preseason poll by the conference coaches.Stability in the coaching ranks is so important if you ask 20th-year Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne, who appreciates seeing coaches and universities finding ways to maintain that such as in Gottliebs case.It is a recipe when a coach can continue at a university, Turner Thorne said. Usually it means that theyve built up a culture and a program thats having continued success. In this day and age where its big business and a lot of times administrations might pull the plug because theres a couple down years ... it is in my mind a little bit shortsighted at times because that consistency within a program means a lot. Obviously you have to have the right person for the job.While Gottlieb was hired by former athletic director Sandy Barbour, now in the same position at Penn State, the coach has developed a strong working relationship with new AD Mike Williams.Lindsay has done an exemplary job leading our womens basketball program, Williams said. From taking the Bears to their first Final Four to becoming a constant presence in the community, Lindsay is completely invested in the success of our student-athletes, both on and off the court. We are thrilled for her to continue as an integral member of the Cal family and look forward to much continued success. ' ' '