Theres no question he can perform with

CHICAGO -- A year ago, Kyle Hendricks might have been satisfied giving up a couple runs in a start.Now, as a Cy Young candidate, Hendricks expects more from himself.Hendricks, the major league ERA leader, allowed two runs in six innings and remained stuck on 15 victories as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs 3-1 Sunday.It definitely means my mentality is just in a different place, Hendricks said. This game last year, I probably would have been a lot happier with it. Resulting in a loss, I feel like I could have done a little more just with the tools I have available to me, where Im at this year.Hendricks (15-8), making his first start since losing a no-hit bid in the ninth inning at St. Louis, struck out nine and gave up six hits. His ERA rose from 2.03 to 2.06 as he lost for the first time since July 26 at the White Sox.Last year, he went 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA in his second season.We have not supported him run-wise a lot this year, and theres another great example today, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. He definitely pitched well enough to win, and we only came up with the one run, so its just unfortunate. He didnt have his best stuff, but nine punchouts and two runs in six, pretty good day.Tyler Thornburg struck out Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo with two on in the ninth to earn his 11th save in 16 chances.The Cubs have lost four of six and are trying to secure home-field advantage in the playoffs. They resumed playing their regulars after clinching the division Thursday. The Cubs went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.We hit the ball well, Maddon said. This is one of those days (with) the culmination of the wind blowing in and their defense played well. We had good at-bats.Chris Carter homered and Martin Maldonado and pitcher Wily Peralta (7-10) added RBI singles for the Brewers, who took three of four games from the Cubs.Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun got a scheduled day off after hitting two home runs Saturday.As much as anything, it just speaks to them finishing the season and finishing it strong and continuing to play at a high level, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.Hendricks hasnt allowed more than two earned runs in a home start since April 15 against Colorado. In each of his last 21 starts, he has surrendered three or fewer earned runs.Fastball command just wasnt great, Hendricks said. So its something Ive got to hone back in this week in my bullpens. But that happens from time to time. It shouldnt be too much of an adjustment.The right-hander struck out the first three batters before allowing a single to Hernan Perez to start the second inning. The Brewers hit three straight singles to score two runs.Theyre playing good baseball right now, Hendricks said. Their lineup, everybody is putting together good at-bats. Theyre aggressive, but then theyll surprise you at times when theyre patient.Carter hit his 36th home run, a solo shot, off Felix Pena in the eighth.Tommy La Stella pinch hit for Hendricks in the sixth and doubled in a run. Anthony Rizzo missed a game-tying home run when he flied out to the right-field warning track in the seventh.Peralta gave up a run on nine hits and struck out five in six innings.LOOKING AHEADBeyond home-field advantage in the playoffs, Maddon wants to reach 100 victories. Theyre at 94 right now. Its a pretty neat number. Ive never done that before, said Maddon, who won 97 in 2008 with Tampa and last year with Chicago.A CHANGELHP Mike Montgomery will return to the bullpen after pitching as the sixth starter, Maddon said. The Cubs are expected to use a bullpen day during their Pittsburgh series Sept. 26-29.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: OF Jorge Soler (tight side) is day-to-day after he underwent an MRI, Maddon said. Soler could resume playing Monday or Tuesday after taking swings in the batting cage.UP NEXTBrewers: After a day off Monday, RHP Matt Garza (5-7, 4.22 ERA) is to start the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Pirates.Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (14-9, 3.60) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game set against the visiting Reds, who are expected to start RHP Tim Adleman (2-4, 4.21). Custom Rays T-shirts . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Cheap Rays Jerseys . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. http://www.customraysjersey.com/ ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. Cheap Custom Rays Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Wholesale Custom Rays Shirts .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions need a win and a Green Bay loss to secure a rare postseason appearance.We control our destiny, Lions safety Glover Quin said.While that is a fact, it will be difficult for Detroit to win either of its last two games.The NFC-North leading Lions (9-5) close the regular season next Monday night at the NFC-leading Dallas Cowboys (12-2), then are home against the Green Bay Packers (8-6).Theres certainly a chance Detroit could lose both games and plummet out of the playoff picture after being in a favorable position to win a division title for the first time since 1993. Two results Sunday, Detroits loss against the New York Giants and Green Bays win at Chicago, seemed to change the outlook for a franchise with just two trips to the playoffs in the previous 16 seasons.Detroits 17-6 setback against the Giants ended its five-game winning streak.We dont like this feeling, Lions receiver Golden Tate said. We are going to try and change that Monday. We need a great week of practice. And me personally, Im excited to get back out there and get this taste out of our mouths and keep it moving. We are right where we want to be, still. We just need to worry about us and play fundamental, sound football.Even with high-stakes games coming up, Lions coach Jim Caldwell isnt going to go into rah-rah mode. Caldwell doesnt plan to change his even-keeled approach, trying to say or do something different to help his players simply focus on the task right in front of them and not on the ramifications.We reduce everything to its lowest common denominator, Caldwell said Monday. Whats most important? Whats important right now? ... Everything else will take care of itself.Matthew Stafford likely needs time, and perhaps surgery, to heal his hurting middle finger on his throwing hand. The right-handed quarterback, though, isnt affordded that luxury, and the Lions dont have a great option behind him with backups Dan Orlovsky and Jake Rudock.ddddddddddddStafford has thrown three interceptions, playing through the injury, in two games after going eight straight games without getting picked once. He insisted the injury didnt have an effect on him against the Giants.I felt pretty good, Stafford said.Caldwell acknowledged it has been a difficult transition for Stafford.Heres a guy thats been holding a football in his bare hand for years and years and years, and all of a sudden hes wearing a glove, Caldwell said. Do you think theres going to be a difference? I mean these guys arent any different than concert pianists. ... There is some adjustment thats made there. Its not a non-issue until he doesnt have it off and doesnt have it on anymore, so there are things. Now, can he perform with it? Theres no question he can perform with it.The Lions hope they can keep standout cornerback Darius Slay in the lineup after he left against the Giants in the second quarter after aggravating a hamstring injury. Caldwell declined to provide an update on Slays health, saying to check the injury report later in the week. He doesnt sound concerned about potentially replacing Slay.Weve had situations where weve had a lot of guys that got banged up this year, Caldwell said. I think Shakespeare said that often sorrows come, they dont come as a single spy, they come in battalions. Theres been times where weve had battalions throughout the year in terms of problems and issues, but our guys have always hung in there. Theyve always focused and theyve always been able to overcome whatever the odds are.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '