PITTSBURGH -- Kris Bryant wouldnt let another win slip away.After Chicago squandered two leads, Bryants RBI single in the eighth inning lifted the Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.Pinch-hitter Matt Szczur doubled to left field with one out against Pirates reliever Tony Watson (1-3). Bryant, who had three hits and reached base four times, followed with his tiebreaking hit to put the Cubs back ahead.I just go out and try to make something happen, Szczur said. I was able to get a good pitch to drive and (Bryant) did the rest. . Weve been grinding, were a bunch of grinders, so that was a good way to end the first half. We feel good about ourselves.Chicago avoided a series sweep ended its five game losing streak. Pittsburgh lost for just the second time in 11 games heading to the All-Star break.With the win, the Cubs carry a seven-game lead over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals into the break.We need a break, Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. We need to get guys rested. The combination of the schedule and, more specifically, the last week with the way games were scheduled, it put us in a fatigue situation.Cubs reliever Pedro Strop (2-2) gave up Andrew McCutchens tying sacrifice fly in the seventh, Carl Edwards pitched a hitless eight and Hector Rondon got the last three outs for his 14th save.The Pirates tied the score at 5-5 after the Cubs failed to turn a double play off a dribbler from Starling Marte in the seventh. With rookie Josh Bell at second base and John Jaso at first, Marte grounded to shortstop Addison Russell with Bell running back to second.Russell didnt tag Bell and instead handed off to second baseman Ben Zobrist, whose relay throw to first failed to beat Marte. First baseman Anthony Rizzo threw back across the diamond to third, where Bell avoided a tag from Javier Baez.With runners on the corners and one out, McCutchen drove in Bell with a fly to deep right field. Strop ended the inning by getting David Freese on a fly ball.Strop had come in for starter John Lackey, who had another inconsistent outing. After allowing four runs in his first three innings, which included McCutchens 14th home run of the season and his second in two days, Lackey rebounded by shutting down the Pirates through the following three innings.Lackey lost his control again when he walked Bell and allowed Jaso to follow with a single to start the seventh inning.Pirates starter Jonathan Niese fared worse, giving up five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He was pulled in favor of Arquimedes Caminero in the fourth inning after surrendering a two-run home run to Albert Almora Jr., retiring the following two batters and allowing back-to-back hits to Bryant and Rizzo in top of the fourth inning.When hes been good, theres downhill angle, hes had good command down in the zone, getting the ball in the glove side, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. There were too many pitches elevated again today. Thats really been the one common theme, is location. With better location down, hes been much more efficient.Niese has lost five of his past six starts and is 7-7 after beginning the season 6-2.Im really done worrying about my mechanics, Niese said. As long as Im executing pitches, thats all that matters. So, this All-Star break is going to be good. Its a good reset button. Im going to go home, enjoy the family and come back in the second half and give it all I got. Just start executing pitches.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: OF Dexter Fowler will miss the All-Star Game on Tuesday and likely some time following the break. Fowler, who is recovering form a right hamstring strain, played in his first minor-league rehab game for Class A South Bend on Friday. He will travel to San Diego to take part in the All-Star festivities.Pirates: OF Gregory Polanco did not play for a second consecutive game due to left hamstring tightness. ... 2B Josh Harrison also was absent. He exited Pittsburghs game Saturday in the third inning after fouling a fastball off his left foot. ... RHP Gerrit Cole made his second rehab start with Class Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday. He is expected to rejoin Pittsburgh following the break.UP NEXTCubs: Chicago wont play again until Friday, when it will come out of the All-Star break to face the surging Texas Rangers, who limped into the break.Pirates: The Washington Nationals will welcome Pittsburgh to Nationals Park following the break for the first game of a three-game weekend set starting Friday. Jacob de la Rose Jersey . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Patrick Roy Jersey . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. http://www.cheapcanadiensjerseyschina.com/noah-juulsen-jersey/ . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. Charles Hudon Jersey . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Doug Harvey Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly is calling on the NCAA to clarify targeting rules after quarterback DeShone Kizer took two tough hits during Saturdays loss to Virginia Tech.Its just not right. Were either going to protect the quarterback or were not going to protect the quarterback, Kelly said in the postgame news conference. ... Just have to figure out what they want to do with this. The supervisor of officials has got to make a clear edict as to how they want this officiated. He clearly has not made it clear enough how this is going to go.Kizer was hit while sliding for a first down in the third quarter and remained in the game. He was forced out for the final play of the 34-31 loss after being hit on a scramble, leaving Malik Zaire to take the last snap.On Sunday, Kelly added that he didnt understand why the officials didnt look at either hit.Its clear on film that it was a helmet-to-helmet on a defenseless player. ... Its just beyond me why it doesnt get reviewed, Kelly said. Thats what their job is, to review it.dddddddddddd.The Fighting Irish have submitted tape of the hits to the supervisor of officials for review, Kelly said.For his part, Kizer said he was feeling fine Saturday.Any time you get hit, youre gonna take a bruise of some sort, Kizer said. Let the adrenaline kick in, get back out there and continue to do your job.On Saturday, Kelly compared the hits to those that?Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has taken this season and wondered whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could help the NCAA officiate bigger, mobile quarterbacks.Im going to ask them to go see Roger Goodell, Kelly said. That may be the way to do it. Maybe he could do something about it.Kizer is 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds.The loss to the Hokies dropped Notre Dame to 4-7 on the year, clinching their first losing season since 2007 and first under Kelly. Discount NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys 2019 NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '