ST. LOUIS -- Jon Lester gave the Chicago Cubs a much-needed boost.Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of home runs and Lester pitched eight dominant innings as the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-0 on Wednesday to clinch a playoff berth.The Cubs improved their major league-best record to 93-52, and their magic number is one to clinch their first NL Central title since 2008. They can wrap up the division crown Thursday night with a win at home over Milwaukee or a St. Louis loss in San Francisco.Chicago secured at least a wild card because the four-game series between the Cardinals and Giants makes it impossible for both to catch the Cubs in the standings.Ill tell you, if you were in that dugout at the beginning of the game, the guys were dead on their feet, Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. To play the kind of game we did today -- really hot, last game of a long road trip -- I give them a ton of credit. (Lester) really played into all that.The Cardinals remained a half-game behind the New York Mets and one game behind the Giants for the two NL wild cards.Lester (17-4) allowed four baserunners, none of which got past first. Cubs catcher David Ross threw out two Cardinals trying to steal second and Lester faced just two batters over the minimum.Cardinals outfielder Brandon Moss called Lester one of the best in the game.Today was one of those days were he had both working and he wasnt missing over the middle and he was even throwing some curveballs and change-ups to keep you off of everything, Moss said.Lester improved to 7-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his last nine starts. He also helped his cause at the plate with an RBI single in the third.Im just trying to give a good at-bat, Lester said. He elevated a changeup for me and I got it far enough out there to give us a run.Rizzos two-run homer in the ninth gave him 31 homers and 101 RBI on the season. He is the second Cubs left-handed hitter in franchise history to post multiple 30 home run and 100 RBI seasons (Billy Williams did it in 1965, 1970 and 1972).Billy Williams, his numbers speak for himself and hes done it so many years, so its a really good feeling, Rizzo said.Ross two-run homer in the fifth snapped a 0-for-8 streak and it was his first home run since Aug. 17.St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez (14-8) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings.Martinez started off strong, striking out the side in the first and four of the first six batters he faced. Five of his nine strikeouts came on called third strikes. He entered the game having allowed just 12 homers this season and his home run per nine innings average of 0.63 was second in the National League to the Mets Noah Syndergaard (0.52).Ross home run was just third by a right-handed batter against Martinez, who had his four winning decisions streak snapped.The loss dropped the Cardinals home record to 33-41, assuring St. Louis of its first losing record at home since 1999 when it played in Busch Stadium II.While clinching at least a wild card spot is nice, the Cubs look forward to wrapping up the division at home this weekend, preferably tomorrow.Lets do it, Maddon said. The sooner, the better. Then we can make our appropriate plans going forward and really set things up to make our best push.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (right shoulder inflammation) was activated from the disabled list and will pitch out of the bullpen ... OF Matt Holliday (fractured right thumb) is expected to take live batting practice later this week. . RHP Trevor Rosenthal (right shoulder inflammation) could be activated from the DL tomorrow.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.67 ERA) will kick off a four-game series as Chicago hosts Milwaukee on Thursday. The Brewers counter with RHP Jimmy Nelson (14-7, 4.42 ERA)Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (11-8, 4.45) will look to build on a one run, eight inning performance in his last start as St. Louis travels to San Francisco for a four-game series Thursday. RHP Johnny Cueto (15-5, 2.90) will start for the Giants.Nike Dunk Sb China . LOUIS -- St. Nike Dunk High Womens . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. http://www.nikedunkscheap.com/nike-dunk-low-shoes/womens.html .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Cheap Nike Dunks China . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Nike Dunk High Cheap . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1.TORONTO -- The UFC takes another step toward filling Conor McGregors sizable featherweight shoes when Max Holloway takes on Anthony Pettis in the main event of UFC 206 on Saturday night.With McGregor now focusing on his lightweight title, Jose Aldo has been upgraded from interim to featherweight champion. But McGregors successor as the undisputed 145-pound title-holder wont be decided until next year when Aldo is supposed to face the winner of Saturdays main event at the Air Canada Centre.Holloway is fighting for the same interim title that Aldo won in July via unanimous decision over Frankie Edgar at UFC 200. Pettis wont receive the same title if he wins since he failed to make weight Friday, weighing in at 148.Confused? The process is the UFCs way of restoring order after the championship havoc caused by McGregor ruling two weight classes. The Irish star wanted to defend both titles but the UFC stepped in to avoid a championship logjam that might see fighters in one weight class chaff while McGregor attended to the other division.The water at this division was super-murky, said Holloway. Now its super-clear. You know, the winner of this fight gets to fight for the undisputed title. And its always great to have extra cash in your pocket, too, so it means a lot. So we will see what happens. Well take care of business (Saturday) and its a straight shot after that.Aldo dethroned Mike Brown in November 2009 to win the WEC featherweight title and, when the UFC introduced lighter weight classes, became the UFCs first 145-pound champion. The Brazilian defended the UFC title seeven straight times before McGregor knocked him out in 13 seconds at UFC 194 last December.dddddddddddd.The 25-year-old Holloway (16-3), a stylish well-rounded fighter, has won nine straight since losing a decision to McGregor in August 2013.The 29-year-old Pettis (19-5) made his featherweight debut in August, submitting Charles Oliveira. Pettis moved down a weight class after losing three straight at 155 pounds, a losing streak that started with Rafael Dos Anjos taking his lightweight title via unanimous decision at UFC 185 in March 2015.When the Toronto card was originally announced, many hoped it would signal a return to action for former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. But that didnt happen and light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier was matched against No. 1 contender Anthony Johnson in a rematch of their UFC 187 fight won by Cormier.That was scrapped when Cormier was injured in training, moving Holloway-Pettis up.Former light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans was also removed from the Toronto card after failing to secure a license from the local commission for the second fight in a row. Middleweight Tim Kennedy, his opponent both times, will fight Kevin Gastelum instead Saturday.Donald Cowboy Cerrone takes on Matt Brown in the co-main event.The bouts are the first for Cerrone and Kennedy since stepping forward last week as two of the five high-profile fighters serving as the face of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association. ' ' '