up big on special teams with the recovery of a punt by

CINCINNATI -- It looks as if Ben Zobrist might be rounding into postseason form, just in time for the Chicago Cubs.Zobrist homered twice and drove in three runs, helping Chicago beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Friday night.Im feeling a lot better than I felt in June, July and August, said Zobrist, who helped Kansas City win the World Series last year. Hopefully, that translates into October.The Cubs have the majors best record and clinched the NL Central title with plenty of time to spare, giving Joe Maddon the luxury of resting his regulars. The 35-year-old Zobrist didnt play on Monday or Thursday, and he is 11 for 22 with two homers and eight RBI in his last seven games.Hes rested, Maddon said. With guys like that, thats why you want time off, and (Friday) is what it can look like.Jake Buchanan (1-0) pitched five shutout innings as Chicago improved to 14-3 against Cincinnati this season with two games to play. The right-hander allowed two hits in his first start since 2014 with Houston.Outstanding, wasnt he? Maddon said. He controlled his emotions and threw strikes. He was very efficient. He threw strikes. We caught the ball -- a typical formula for us.It was Buchanans first appearance since he pitched one inning on Sept. 5. He didnt know what to expect when he took the mound.Once I got past the first batter, it felt really good to be back in a ballgame, Buchanan said. I was just hoping to throw strikes and compete.Anthony Rizzo also drove in two runs for Chicago, which was coming off a rare tie in Pittsburgh due to rain.Joey Votto hit a two-run homer in the ninth for last-place Cincinnati, which announced before the game that manager Bryan Price would return next season. Josh Smith (3-3) was charged with two runs and three hits in five-plus innings.Price and the Reds agreed to a one-year contract with a team option. The entire coaching staff also has been offered contracts for 2017.There is a mutual desire to stay connected, Price said. For me, its an unbelievable opportunity. It is a storied franchise. I have really enjoyed my coaches and my team.The Cubs, headed for the playoffs for the second straight year, announced contract extensions for general manager Jed Hoyer and player development director Jason McLeod. Their new deals run through the 2021 season, mirroring president of baseball operations Theo Epsteins contract announced on Wednesday.Smith retired his first 12 batters before Zobrist led off the fifth with a drive to right for his first homer since Sept. 12. The All-Star also connected for a two-run shot in Chicagos four-run eighth, No. 17 on the year.It was good, Smith said. I challenged hitters early and got a lot of early contact to pitch pretty deep in the game. The ball to Zobrist, I missed my spot.Chicagos first three batters reached in the sixth, chasing Smith, and Addison Russells RBI double made it 3-1.HISTORIC HOMERSZobrists homers were Chicagos 38th and 39th against the Reds this season, the most by one team against Cincinnati pitching in one season. The 1954 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1957 Milwaukee Braves previously shared the record with 38.FRIENDLY CONFINESKris Bryants eighth-inning single gave him a least one hit in each of Chicagos eight games at Great American Ball Park so far this season.EARLY WARNINGVotto, who left Thursdays game at St. Louis in the eighth inning with a cut on his chin that required seven stitches, texted Price at 3 a.m. Friday saying that he would be ready to play.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: OF Jorge Soler (discomfort on his right side) will be re-evaluated on Saturday, Maddon said.Reds: 2B Brandon Phillips, sidelined by soreness in his left wrist and hand, was being examined Friday by members of the Reds medical staff, Price said.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Jon Lester (19-4) seeks his first career 20-win season in his last start. He is 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA in four starts against Cincinnati this season.Reds: RHP Tim Adleman (3-4), who set a career high with seven innings in his last start on Monday, will try to close out his season with back-to-back wins. J.T. Brown Wild Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Marcus Foligno Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. http://www.authenticwildpro.com/Jordan-greenway-wild-jersey/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. J.T. Brown Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Minnesota Wild Jerseys . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. The verdict in former FIFA President Sepp Blatters appeal against a six-year ban for unethical conduct will be announced on Monday.The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Friday it will publish the ruling at 3 p.m. Swiss time (1400 GMT).Blatter has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in authorizing a $2 million payment to Michel Platini in 2011. They claimed it was uncontracted salary for France great Platini advising Blatter from 1999 to 2002.FIFAs ethics committee ruled the payment was a conflict of interest in 2011 -- just as a FIFA presidential election campaign was starting -- and banned both for eight years last December. FIFAs appeal committee cut the bans to six years.Platini, who gave evidence for Blatter at a 14-hour hearing in August, previously had his ban cut to four years at CAS.Though a different three-member panel judged Blatters case, it would typically be obliged to respect the precedent of the Platini case which was based on much of the same evidence.Swiss federal prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Blatter in September 2015 when details of the disloyal payment to Platini emerged. Both men were questioned at FIFA headquarters by Swiss investigators who waited for them outside an executive committee meeting.The case ended then-FIFA vice president Platinis chance to replace Blatter as president, and also forced him out of UEFA.dddddddddddd.Whatever the verdict on Monday, Blatter faces another FIFA ethics investigation over alleged bribery and self-dealing in his contract, plus the employment deals of his former secretary general Jerome Valcke and finance director Markus Kattner. FIFA has fired both officials.FIFA ethics investigators said in September the latest case involved an alleged coordinated effort by three former top officials of FIFA to enrich themselves.Blatter received a 12 million Swiss franc ($12 million) bonus after the successful 2014 World Cup in Brazil and would have been due another 12 million Swiss francs for completing his 2015-19 presidential term, the contracts revealed.Blatter announced his intention in June 2015 to leave FIFA, days after American and Swiss federal investigations of alleged corruption were revealed.He was suspended from duty in October 2015, and his 40-year employment by FIFA formally ended in February when Platinis former right-hand man at UEFA, Gianni Infantino, was elected president. ' ' '