he needed three outs like any other inning. "I didnt want to even let myself think of being the closer. I knew there was a possibility," LeCure said. "Chapman is our closer but I did tell him to watch out.

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Before the game, Dusty Baker didnt know who his closer would be. The Cincinnati Reds managers eventual choice turned out just right. Sam LeCure overcame two ninth-inning hits and earned the save in the Reds 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Shin-Soo Choo scored the decisive run in the eighth inning on Arizonas fourth wild pitch of the game. Choo scored both Cincinnati runs, helping the Reds to their third win in the four-game series. Cincinnati (73-55) improved to a season-high 18 games over .500 and increased its lead over Arizona to seven games in the race for the National Leagues second wild-card playoff spot. Choo singled to lead off the eighth against reliever Eury De La Rosa (0-1) and moved to second when De La Rosas pickoff attempt rolled away from first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Todd Frazier sacrificed Choo to third, and Choo scored when ball four to Joey Votto was a wild pitch. Mat Latos (13-4) went eight innings and earned the win, despite getting sick before he took the mound. In his previous three starts, Latos had received only five runs of offensive support. Baker was forced to use his closer Aroldis Chapman for two innings Wednesday night, making him unavailable Thursday. So LeCure was given the chance to earn his first major league save. "Sam is our utility guy," Baker said. "He can go long or short. He has a lot of guts." Latos made the most of two runs on Thursday, allowing just one run and five hits to Arizona. Latos struck out seven, didnt walk anyone, and hit one batter with a pitch. "I was sick right before the first inning," said Latos, who couldnt even keep water down. "I was sick again in the fifth inning. Its gone now but I didnt have anything left in the tank." Latos managed to save the bullpen. "Latos gave us what we wanted," Baker said. "A security guard told me he was vomiting underneath the stands." Arizona starter Trevor Cahill, in his second start since coming off the disabled list, allowed four hits and one run. He walked three, struck out seven and threw three wild pitches -- all in the third inning. "He struggled that inning," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "They scored two runs on four wild pitches and an error. Its very frustrating, disappointing." Cahill allowed two hits but still faced the minimum 12 batters over his final four innings, with help from a caught stealing and a double-play ball. In the third, the Reds put runners on second and third with one out. Brandon Phillips cashed in the opportunity with a run-scoring groundout for a 1-0 lead. Cahill entered the game with 11 wild pitches this season, and now has a major league-high 14. The Diamondbacks took a more conventional route in getting even 1-1 in fourth. Adam Eaton and Goldschmidt led off with singles, Arizonas first hits off of Latos. Martin Prado hit into a double play, but Aaron Hill rapped a sharp one-hopper that third baseman Frazier couldnt handle. Hill was credited with a run-scoring infield hit. LeCure told himself he needed three outs like any other inning. "I didnt want to even let myself think of being the closer. I knew there was a possibility," LeCure said. "Chapman is our closer but I did tell him to watch out." Baker selected LeCure because he is fearless. "He doesnt have the best stuff, but hes not afraid," Baker said. "Sam was the best man. He knows how to pitch. I knew he wouldnt get rattled if there were runners on." NOTES: Cincinnati RHP Jonathan Broxton is expected to have surgery after he was placed on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. ... The Reds moved RHP Johnny Cueto to the 60-day disabled list to open a roster spot for RHP Nick Christiani, who was called up from Triple-A Louisville. ... Arizona C Miguel Montero was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. INF Willie Bloomquist was 2-for-3 with a run scored on Wednesday while on rehab assignments with the teams rookie-level Arizona League affiliate. ... LHP Wade Miley (9-8) is Arizonas scheduled starter in Fridays opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia. RHP Homer Bailey (8-10) is due to start at home for the Reds against Milwaukee. Cheap Shoes Wholesale . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Cheap Shoes Fake . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Cheap Shoes Website . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Cheap Shoes Discount . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots broke through against a Pac-12 foe on their third try under new head coach Terry Porter.Its nice to get one of them, said Porter, the former Trail Blazers great, after the Pilots upset Oregon State 53-45 on Sunday in the Dam City Classic at the Moda Center.In fact, it was Portlands first victory over a Pac-12 opponent since the Pilots beat both Oregon and UCLA in the 2009-10 season. The Pilots lost earlier this season to both UCLA and Colorado.Jazz Johnson had 15 points and Alec Wintering added 14 for Portlands fourth win in the teams last five games. Thats a boost as the Pilots (7-3) ready to head into West Coast Conference play under Porter.A lot of confidence, Wintering said. Were on a nice little win streak now, we just have to keep working.It was the fifth-straight loss overall for the Beavers (3-9) and also snapped a four-game winning streak in the all-time series against Portland.JaQuori McLaughlin led the Beavers with 23 points, but the team was ultimately hurt by a long drought without a field goal in the second half after a 22-all tie at the break.Portland led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but McLaughlins layup and a free throw closed the gap to 48-41 with 2:05 left. Gabe Taylor tipped in a basket for Portland on the other end, but McLaughlin made a 3-pointer to narrow the Pilots lead to 50-44.Stephen Thompson missed a critical layup after a steal with 29 seconds left and the Beavers could not catch up.Guys deserved it. They worked hard, said Porter, whose No. 30 jersey for the Blazers hangs in the rafters of the Moda Center. Its great for them to have this opportunity, and then they go out and execute it.The Beavers were coming off a disappointing 71-67 loss to Long Beach State in their Dam City opener on Friday night.The Pilots, meanwhile, were coming off a dramatic 85-82 victory in their opener over South Dakota. Taylor made a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left for the win.The Beavers have been stung by the loss of leading scorer Tres Tinkle, coach Wayne Tinkles son, who missed his sixth-straight game after breaking a bone in his non-shooting hand. Tinkle was averaging 20.2 points before the injury. There is no timetable for his return.Portland took an early 9-4 lead nearly seven minutes into the game. McLaughlin made conssecutive 3-pointers as the Beavers finally came alive.ddddddddddddThe game was tied at 16 for nearly five minutes before Drew Eubanks hit a jumper to put Oregon State in front 18-16. The teams were tied at 22 at the half. McLaughlin led all scorers with 11, half of Oregon States total points.Johnson had a pair of 3-pointers and Taylor added another as the Pilots took a 31-24 lead. The Beavers didnt land a shot from the field for a span of 8:14, depending on free throws to stay in it. McLaughlins 3-pointer finally broke the drought but the Pilots led 37-32.Winterings jumper pushed Portlands lead to 43-33.We just didnt make the plays offensively, Wayne Tinkle said. It showed a lot in the first half that we kept hanging in there and then I think in the second half, when we were struggling, we dropped our heads for the first time. We addressed that in the locker room.BIG PICTUREPortland: Earlier this season Wintering passed former Pilot Erik Spoelstra -- the current coach of the Miami Heat -- on the schools all-time assist list. ... The Pilots out-rebounded the Beavers 19-12 in the first half, but Oregon State had eight steals compared to none for Portland.Oregon State: The Beavers shot 27.6 percent in the opening half, their worst shooting percentage in a half this season. ... Oregon State held a 53-16 lead in the all-time series between the two teams before Sundays loss.RESPONDING: While Wayne Tinkle acknowledged the adversity, he said what happens next will be important for the Beavers: In other words, how Oregon State responds to the back-to-back losses against mid-major teams.Its going to show a lot about how we come out of this, and where we continue to build with the team moving forward, said Tinkle. Weve got to keep scrapping. Thats life. Life throws all sorts of curve balls at you, and the ones that hangs their heads and disengage, it snowballs.UP NEXTPortland: The Pilots host cross-town rivals Portland State on Tuesday night. Portland visits Cal State Fullerton on Thursday to conclude the non-conference schedule.Oregon State: The Beavers host Kent State on Wednesday night, the last non-conference game for the Beavers before Pac-12 play gets underway. ' ' '