wouldnt focus on whether Fridays game might be his last.ddddddd

SAN DIEGO -- Kyle Hendricks has another weapon, although its not a pitch.It was on display when the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 to complete a three-game sweep on Wednesday.Its confidence, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. The biggest thing from last year to this year is the confidence thing. I think he believes he is one of the best right now.Hendricks, the major league ERA leader, pitched six effective innings to pace the Cubs.Maybe he wasnt as sharp as usual, but he was really good, Maddon said.Hendricks (12-7) gave up two runs and four hits, striking out eight and leaving with a 2.19 ERA. He has allowed no more than three earned runs in 17 straight starts.Over that span, Hendricks has pitched to a 1.70 ERA.Today I had some bad at the beginning and some good at the end, he said. I had both ends of the spectrum there.At the beginning my command was a little off. I finally started getting the ball down and found the movement on my two-seamer and started spotting that better. I was one roll from there.Three Cubs relievers took over for the NL Central leaders, with Aroldis Chapman pitching the ninth for his 29th save in 32 chances.I knew (Hendricks) was going to be really good this year but he has taken it to another level, Maddon said.Willson Contreras homered and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs as the Cubs won for the 22nd time in 27 games. At 81-45, they are 36 games over .500 for the first time since ending the 1945 season at 98-56.That was really loud, Maddon said of Contreras blast. You knew that was a home run when he hit it.The Padres have dropped nine of their past 12. Paul Clemens (2-3) took the loss.Jorge Soler and Addison Russell also drove in runs for the Cubs as they scored at least three runs for the 23rd consecutive game, second this season only to the Baltimore Orioles (28).Ryan Schimpf tripled and doubled for the Padres.The Cubs started fast when Dexter Fowler led off the game with a double and Kris Bryant nearly launched his third homer of the series. Instead, his drive hit the top of the wall and ended up being a long single.Kris Bryant is a tough hitter, Padres manager Andy Green said. Some guys have lanes you can pitch through, some hitters have small little holes. Kris Bryant has small holes.Zobrist then hit a two-run triple and scored on Solers sacrifice fly.Thats been the story of the last two outings, that first inning, Clemens said. Maybe I just got to wind myself up more in the bullpen.Maddon said jumping ahead was a key.We came out nicely in the first inning and that gave us the edge, he said. And Kyle ran with it from there.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (1-1, 2.77) starts Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. He makes his second start for the Cubs, after taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies.Padres: RHP Jarred Cosart (0-1, 4.54) opens Fridays three-game set at Miami. He was traded from the Marlins to San Diego last month. Custom Packers Jersey China . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Wholesale Custom Packers Shirts .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/ . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. Custom Rashan Gary Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. Rashan Gary Jersey Large . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Western Bulldogs veteran Matthew Boyd insists he wont address his playing future until after the AFL finals.There are reports the 34-year-old last month verbally agreed to a one-year extension, only for the Bulldogs to withdraw the offer the following week.Boyd on Monday declined to comment, saying his focus was solely on the Bulldogs AFL semi-final clash with Hawthorn on Friday.A lot of people talk about their future post-season and Im no different in that respect, he said.Ive maintained along the journey this year that its about me putting my best foot forward for the team and to make sure that my performance is up to a standard that helps the team perform at its optimal level.For me, thats the end of it.Boyds chances of earning a new deal may have been boosted by his surprise selection in this years All-Australian team alongside young Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli.Evergreen vveterans Bob Murphy and Dale Morris have each secured one-year deals but Boyd said he wouldnt focus on whether Fridays game might be his last.ddddddddddddI think you can go into any game thinking that, he said.Things can happen. You can get injured, you can do a whole heap of things.Im not really prepared to talk about personal circumstances when weve got such a great opportunity as a team.Boyd is the oldest of half a dozen unsigned Bulldogs who have made regular appearances this season.Midfielder Lin Jong, who broke his collarbone in the Bulldogs elimination final win over West Coast, has been linked to Gold Coast and Collingwood.Others yet to sign include on-baller Koby Stevens, injury-prone midfielder Clay Smith and out-of-favour ruckman Will Minson. ' ' '