Der Vorhafen » quarter, 23 in the second quarter and 66-48

CHICAGO -- Gordon Beckham was struggling and the Chicago White Sox are banged up. That didnt stop them from completing a sweep of the rival Chicago Cubs. Beckhams tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning helped the White Sox beat the rival Cubs 5-1 on Tuesday night. Beckham was 1 for 6 in the White Soxs 3-1, 12-inning win Monday over the Cubs, but he matched a career high with four hits Tuesday. The fourth one, on a 1-2 pitch with two outs from Neil Ramirez (0-1), gave Beckham his first homer of the season and the White Sox the lead, one they held to sweep the two-game series at Wrigley Field before the teams start a two-game set Wednesday across town at U.S. Cellular Field. Entering Tuesday, Beckham was 3 for his last 17 and hitting just .167 on the season. But he took extended batting practice earlier in the day, and that paid off later. "It was great. I mean great night, completely blessed to have it and definitely comes at a good time," Beckham said. "Good win." The sweep was made more impressive by what the White Sox have been battling. Their best pitcher, starting third baseman, centre fielder and right fielder are all injured, and Adam Dunn was a late scratch and replaced in the lineup by Moises Sierra. Sierra had four hits, and the White Sox had their third straight win. "Theyre scrapping and finding a way to do it. Especially with all the injuries of guys going down you just kind of have to find your way sometimes and scratch and claw and take what you can get," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "Theyve been doing that, which is good." Theyve also been pitching well against the Cubs, who lost their third straight. Zach Putnam (1-0) had an 18.90 ERA in five games for the Cubs last season but threw two scoreless innings for the White Sox, who have won consecutive games against the North Siders for the first time since taking three in a row in 2012. The White Soxs starter had another good night but wasnt the beneficiary of Beckhams home run and the three ninth-inning insurance runs -- capped by pinch-hitter Jordan Danks two-run double off Pedro Strop -- that also gave the White Sox their third straight win after a four-game skid. Hector Noesi gave the White Sox their second straight strong start against their crosstown rivals. One day after Jose Quintana took a no-hitter into the sixth, Noesi went five innings and allowed one run while striking out six. "Not very good (the past two nights)," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. It was also a departure from Noesis first start of the season, when he lasted just 3 2-3 innings and allowed four runs in an April 30 loss to Detroit. "I really would like to be a starter," Noesi said. "I feel comfortable." Like Noesi, Cubs starter Edwin Jackson saw one of his better outings end up in a no-decision. Jackson entered with a 5.24 ERA but went seven innings and gave up one run while striking out a season-high nine, following up Jeff Samardzijas nine-inning, one-run outing Monday. "That game yesterday ... Samardzija threw a hell of a game," Jackson said. "I cant lie and say that didnt give me some extra motivation today to come out and follow up that performance with a strong outing." The White Sox did, too, and finished a two-game sweep of the Cubs. "Its good. I mean we need to keep, no matter who it is, keep grinding out and getting some wins. Last three games has been good," Beckham said. "Weve found a way to win in some tight games and obviously pulled a bit today but its good team-building stuff." NOTES: Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said there have been no trade talks yet. "Teams have to have a sense that they cant fill a hole internally," he said. "People dont usually come to that conclusion in May." ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura said LHP Chris Sale (left arm) was feeling "good" one day after a 40-pitch bullpen session and that hell have another session "in the near future." ... Cubs RHP Jose Veras, on the disabled list since April 26 with a strained left oblique, threw a scoreless inning Tuesday during a rehab stint for Double-A Tennessee. ... White Sox 3B Conor Gillaspie (left hand) is eligible to come off the DL Wednesday, and Ventura said "youre hoping that hes back pretty soon." ... The Cubs will play a day-night doubleheader at Cincinnati on July 8 to make up the game from April 28, which was postponed due to rain. Nike Shox Clearance Wholesale . Hes the same player he always was, only now his efforts are being rewarded. The rookie manager has made a habit of heaping praise on others when things are going well, and accepting criticism when they arent. But in the case of Hurtado, its what the coach is NOT saying that may be the secret to a superb run of form. Nike Shox China Wholesale . -- Syracuse was dangerously close to letting another less talented opponent pull off the upset when C. http://www.nikeshoxdiscount.com/ . - Tiger Woods only made it through 10 holes Thursday — this time because of the weather, not his back. Nike Shox Clearance Sale . The Oilers jumped into the free agent market early by signing defencemen Keith Aulie (six-foot-six, 228 pounds) and Mark Fayne (6-3, 210 pounds) and left-winger Benoit Pouliot (6-3, 197-pounds). Two days earlier MacTavish traded lightweight forward Sam Gagner to Tampa Bay for 6-3, 203-pound right winger Ted Purcell. Nike Shox Cheap Wholesale . -- The Chiefs have signed seven players to reserve/future contracts, including running back Joe McKnight, a former fourth-round pick of the New York Jets. OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Clippers made a silent protest against owner Donald Sterling before Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff series against Golden State. The Warriors made a different kind of statement during the game. And just like that, a series pulled into a race-related scandal took another twist. Stephen Curry made a career playoff-high seven 3-pointers and scored 33 points, leading the Warriors past the Clippers 118-97 on Sunday to even their first-round series at two games apiece. "We wanted to come out and focus on all the work weve put in over the summer, throughout the course of the season to get ready for this moment in the playoffs and just have fun and enjoy it -- not let one person ruin it for everybody," Curry said. The game almost became an afterthought -- until tipoff anyway -- after an audio recording was posted Saturday online by TMZ purportedly of Sterling making comments urging a woman to not bring black people to his teams games. The alleged comments, which are under investigation by the NBA, have set off reactions of anger and calls for action through the league. Clippers players made a silent protest against Sterling by shedding their warm-up jerseys and going through the pregame routine with their red shirts on inside out. They also wore black bands on their wrists or arms and black socks in a show of solidarity. Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he knew what his players had planned but didnt voice his opinion. He said he wasnt thrilled about the demonstration, though he didnt elaborate why. Curry and company did a better job focusing from the start. The All-Star guard made his first five 3s to give Golden State a 20-point lead in the first quarter that held up most of the way. Curry shot 10 for 20 from the floor, including 7 of 14 from beyond the arc, and had seven assists and seven rebounds to help the Warriors snap a two-game losing skid. "I just thought they were the tougher team and it wasnt even close. Should have been a first round knockout," Rivers said. Golden State outshot Los Angeles 55.4 to 42.9 per cent. The Clippers had 19 turnovers, while the Warriors had a series-low 15 turnovers. Both coaches and players agreed that Sterlings purported comments affected their preparation, and neither side believed it was a determining factor in the outcome. "I think both teams were somewhat bothered by what has taken place the last 24 hours," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "But my guys just played with great energy, great effort." Rivers blamed himself for not getting his players ready. "Im not going to deny that we had other stuff," he said. "I just believe when the game starts, the gamme starts and nobody cares anymore.dddddddddddd Golden State surely didnt care." Game 5 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Andre Iguodala added 22 points and nine assists, and David Lee, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes each scored 15 as the Warriors went to a smaller lineup to regain their shooting touch in front of a roaring, gold-shirt wearing sellout crowd of 19,596 that stood after every swish. "It just all came together," said Iguodala, who also had nine assists and four rebounds. Jamal Crawford scored 26 points, and Blake Griffin had 21 points and six rebounds for a Clippers team wrapped up in the most talked-about topic in sports. "Maybe our focus wasnt in the right place would be the easiest way to say it," Clippers guard J.J. Redick said. New NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attended the game and met privately with former All-Star guard and current Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is advising the players union on the Sterling situation. Johnson even held a news conference during halftime that spilled well into the third quarter. Silver has said he hopes for a quick resolution after the league investigates, and that Sterling has already agreed not to attend Game 5. Johnson said the players trust Silver and are hoping for a quick resolution -- and the harshest penalty possible if the audio recording is authenticated. Once the ball was thrown up and the crowd roared, the Warriors quickly put the Clippers in a hole they could never recover from. Currys five 3-pointers in the first quarter tied a franchise-playoff record for a quarter, matching a mark he and Thompson set last year. Golden State led by 20 in the first quarter, 23 in the second quarter and 66-48 at the half. Jackson used a smaller lineup -- with power forward David Lee playing centre for long stretches instead of Jermaine ONeal, whom Jackson said requested the switch -- to spread the floor more than he had at any point in the series, which big man Andrew Bogut has missed with a fractured right rib. The Clippers never closed within single digits at any point in the second half. Curry kept on shooting -- and kept on hitting -- to send the series back to Los Angeles tied. And with so many in an uproar over Sterlings purported comments, theres no telling what the scene will be like at Staples Center. "Were going home now, and usually that would mean were going to our safe haven," Rivers said. "And I dont even know if thats true." NOTES: The Warriors have won 16 of their past 19 home games against the Clippers. ... Sterlings wife, Rochelle "Shelley" Sterling, sat in a courtside seat across from the Clippers bench. ' ' '