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CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo called his first two at-bats a battle. The last one was a whole lot better. The first baseman capped his return to the Cubs lineup with a walk-off home run in the ninth inning that gave Chicago a 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. Rizzo had missed the last 18 games due to a back problem but led off the ninth by driving a 1-0 pitch from Pedro Villarreal (0-1) over the wall in centre field. Rizzos homer was his 31st of the season and gave Hector Rondon (4-4) the win after he pitched a scoreless inning of relief. "The game is over (with) one swing of the bat, and its a good feeling," Rizzo said. Thanks to the end of the minor-league season, Rizzo didnt get a chance to go on a rehab assignment before returning to work off some rust. It showed when he struck out against Alfredo Simon in his first two at-bats. He was credited with an infield single in the sixth. In the ninth, Rizzo looked as though he had never left. "He certainly made the adjustment in his last at-bat," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. Chicago starter Travis Wood didnt get run support and couldnt earn his ninth win despite producing one of his best outings. Wood threw six scoreless innings and allowed three hits. Simon gave up five hits in seven innings. The Reds right-hander, who is 3-0 against the Cubs this season, was a pleasant first-half surprise but had been struggling recently. He was 2-7 with a 4.96 ERA in the second half before a strong outing on Monday. "This is my first season with the Reds to be a starter and I want to show them I can be a starter for a real long time here," Simon said. "I try to finish strong." He might have earned a win if Cubs centre fielder Arismendy Alcantara didnt run down Kristopher Negrons drive to right-centre with two outs in the eighth when speedy Billy Hamilton was on first. "The ball that Negron hit, he absolutely crushed that ball out to right-centre," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Alcantara made a great catch." Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler went 1 for 3 after he missed a weekend series in Pittsburgh due to the birth of a child. TRAINERS ROOM Reds: 1B Joey Votto took infield during pregame warmups but didnt take part in batting practice. Votto (left quadriceps) hasnt played for the Reds since July 5 but did take underhand flips in a batting cage on Sunday. Cubs: Renteria said SS Starlin Castro (sprained left ankle) is improving but "hes not likely to be able to come back" this season. Renteria also said starting pitcher Edwin Jackson (right lat strain) will throw a simulated game this week. UP NEXT Reds: RHP Johnny Cueto and Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta will face off on Tuesday. Cueto (18-8) will attempt to match Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw for the most wins in baseball this season. Cueto is 5-1 with a 1.84 ERA in his last nine starts against the Cubs. Arrieta (8-5) leads the Cubs with a 2.82 ERA. MINOR MATTERS The Cubs named Single-A Kane Countys Jen-Ho Tseng their minor league pitcher of the year, and Triple-A Iowas Kris Bryant their player of the year. Chicago general manager Jed Hoyer said "its way too early to speculate" whether Bryant will make next seasons opening day roster. YOUTH MOVEMENT Recent call-ups SS Jake Elmore, RF Yorman Rodriguez and LF Jason Bourgeois were in the lineup as part of a look-see for some of Cincinnatis younger players. "This is a great opportunity for them to play and for us to get a little more evaluation time before spring training in 2015," Price said. .The team had a meeting prior to facing Russia at the world junior hockey championship and got the effort theyve been looking for by defeating the Russians 4-1 to advance to the quarter-finals. . "Ive still got it," Seattles ace said with a sly grin. Riding that fastball carrying a little more zip, Hernandez took a shutout bid into the ninth inning as the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night. On the verge of a brilliant shutout and first complete game since Aug. http://www.germanynationalshop.us/Marco ... ey-Soccer/. In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken. . Nainggolan scored his first Italian league goal at Bologna, in October 2010, and he also opened his Roma account there following his January move from Cagliari. The Belgium midfielder volleyed home Miralem Pjanics cross from close range eight minutes from time. . - Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has nothing but good problems right now.MILWAUKEE -- Chris Bosh scored 14 points, LeBron James had 13, and the short-handed Miami Heat wrapped up their three-game trip through the Midwest with an 88-67 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. James Jones added 10 for Miami in place of star guard Dwyane Wade, sidelined a second straight game with a sore hamstring. The Heat also played without Ray Allen and Mario Chalmers. It didnt matter against the team with the NBAs worst record. Milwaukee tried to match Miamis energy, but couldnt keep with the more talented opponent -- even one without two All-Stars. Defence keyed Miamis win. The Heat led 46-29 at halftime and held the Bucks to a season low for points in a half and in a game. John Henson had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee. On paper, this was a mismatch from the opening tip -- the two-time defending NBA champions against a young, undermanned squad that fell to 14-59 on the season. But the Heat at times played a bit disheveled, perhaps a little worn from their third straight road game and fourth in five contests. James extended his consecutive-game streak of double-digit scoring to 564, the fourth-longest run in NBA history. But James only got to 10 with about 5:16 left in the third quarter on a 3. Fresh off recording a triple-double in a 110-78 blowout win Friday night in Detroit, James had nearly as many turnovers (three) as points (four) in the first half. His two early buckets, though, came off open dunks that thrilled the crowd, a few of whom were wearing James jerseys. Miami opened the game 3-of-14 from the field. The shooting improved, and the Heat clamped down on the other end and held the Bucks to 12-of-39 shoooting (30 per cent) in the first half, and 34 per cent for the game.dddddddddddd The Heat held an opponent under 40 per cent shooting for the fourth straight game, and ended their road trip with two straight wins after losing Wednesday in Indiana. Just like Friday night, James spent the fourth quarter on the bench with a victory well in hand. The only drama in the second half when James would get to double digits in scoring. A dunk with 6 minutes left in the third gave Milwaukee a 54-38 lead. Khris Middleton missed a jumper, and James corralled the rebound before spotting up at the wing for his 3 to get to double figures. Zaza Pachulia and Udonis Haslem exchanged buckets before Pachulia missed a jumper with about 4 minutes left. James got the rebound and then threw a long outlet pass to streaking Haslem down court for a layup. James clapped, slapped his right hand on his thigh and waited down court on defence. His night was just about over. Ramon Sessions had a game-high 15 points for Milwaukee, while Toney Douglas and Rashard Lewis each added 13 for the Heat. Bothered by a sore hamstring, Wade watched in a grey suit and white sneakers in returning to the arena in which he played college ball at Marquette. NOTES: Allen, sidelined with a stomach virus, played in Milwaukee from 1996 through part of the 2002-03 season. He holds the franchise record for most 3-point field goals in a game at home with 10. ... Chalmers missed the game with a bruised quad, and Greg Oden was also sidelined by back spasms.... The Bucks have yet to win consecutive games all season. They were coming off a 108-105 win Thursday over the Lakers. ' ' '