CLEVELAND -- Taking no chances in Tuesday nights World Series Game 6, Cubs manager Joe Maddon again went to closer Aroldis Chapman?in the seventh inning, only this time with Chicago holding a 7-2 lead.?Maddon did the same two days earlier, in Sundays Game 5, asking Chapman to get the final eight outs with the Cubs nursing a one-run lead. But his decision to do so on Tuesday with a five-run advantage raised some eyebrows and prompted a response from the Cubs Twitter account:Chapman relieved?Mike Montgomery?and threw two pitches in the seventh inning before getting?Cleveland Indians?shortstop?Francisco Lindor to ground out with two men on base to end the inning. Chapman came up limping a bit after racing Lindor to first base on the bang-bang play but said it was nothing bad, no issues at all.?Chapman then pitched a clean eighth inning, before the Cubs extended their lead to 9-2 on an Anthony Rizzo?home run in the ninth inning. At that point, Maddon scrambled to get his bullpen ready as Chapman came out for the bottom of the ninth.After Chapman gave up a leadoff walk to Rajai Davis, Maddon finally pulled him after 20 pitches in favor of Pedro Strop, who had to be pulled, as well, after giving up a hit and a walk. Travis Wood got the final out in the Cubs 9-3 win?that forced a Game 7 with the Indians.In his postgame news conference, Maddon defended the decision to bring in his closer.It was just the middle of their batting order. There was just no other way to look at that and feel good, man, he said.?That could have been the ballgame right there.I thought the game could have been lost right there if we did not take care of it properly.Maddon added that he talked to Chapman before the game and the four-time All-Star was aware of the scenario.So he went out there and he was outstanding again, said Maddon, who told Fox in an on-field interview that he expects more of the same from Chapman in Wednesdays deciding Game 7.Cubs catcher Willson Contreras agreed.Aroldis will be ready to go,?Contreras said. Im already thinking about [Game 7], and hell be ready.Chapman echoed his manager and his batterymate.?I dont worry about a few extra pitches, Chapman said. I have all the strength and mentality to pitch in this scenario. Im ready for [Game 7] 100 percent. Its the last game of the season. You cannot save anything. Time to leave it all on the field.Chapman threw 62 pitches combined between Games 5 and 6 but with a day off in between.I feel blessed that Im just healthy to pitch in this situation, he said. This is [why] the Cubs brought me over.Maddon has already indicated that?Jon Lester would be available in relief for Game 7.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.?sWell Bottle Stockists Nz .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play. Swell Bottle 17 Oz Sale . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. http://www.swellbottlesnz.com/ . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Swell Bottle Nz 500ml . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Swell Bottle Sale . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen can finally focus on starting the season now that contract talks are out of the way.Its great to get this done. Now I have a couple of days to turn my mind 100 percent for the season, Ristolainen told The Associated Press by phone on Tuesday. Im 100 percent ready now.Ristolainen spoke a few hours after signing a six-year, $32.4 million contract in a deal reached two days before Buffalo opens the season by hosting the Montreal Canadiens.Ristolainen was a restricted free agent, whose rights were retained by the Sabres in June.Rasmus has already proven to be a pivotal player on our blue line, and we are eager to have him back with the team, general manager Tim Murray said in a statement released by the Sabres.This deal is a reflection of the hard work and improvement Rasmus has shown since being drafted. And we hope to see him continue on this trajectory moving forward.The 21-year-old Ristolainen has become Buffalos top defenseman in just three seasons since being selected in the first round of the 2013 draft. Last season, Ristolainen led the team in averaging more than 25 minutes of ice time per game, and led Buffalo defensemen with 41 points (nine goals, 32 assists).Overall, he has 19 goals and 46 assists for 65 points in 194 games.Ristolainen dismissed any added pressure that might come with a contract that makes him the teams top-paid defenseman.I dont even think about the contract or think about what people say or what people think, he said. I want to be better than I was last year. I want to win. Thats the only thing I really think.Ristolainen was confident a deal would get done before the season began, especially after negotiations sped up over the weekend.dddddddddddd And he shouldnt have a difficult transition in preparing for on-ice action because he was able to stay in game-shape over the past month.He represented Finland in the World Cup of Hockey last month and then reported to Sabres training camp in what was regarded as a sign of good faith in a bid to spur contract talks. He practiced with the team, but was not allowed to play in preseason games.Ristolainens signing means the Sabres should have their full complement of top-six defenseman available to open the season.Veterans Dmitry Kulikov (bruised back) and Zach Bogosian (groin) returned to practice Tuesday, and coach Dan Bylsma expects them to be ready to play against the Canadiens. The Sabres acquired Kulikov in a trade with Florida in June.The status of top-line forwards Ryan OReilly (back and abdomen spasms) and Kyle Okposo (bruised knee) remains uncertain. Both skated during individual drills before leaving the ice once the team session began.Though both are improving, but Bylsma expressed concern about rushing them back into the lineup with limited practice time.Buffalo established its 23-player regular-season roster by loaning four players -- including forward Alexander Nylander, the teams 2016 first-round draft pick -- to its American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester. Also sent down were forwards Nicholas Baptiste and Daniel Catenacci. Defenseman Justin Falk will report to Rochester after clearing waivers.Buffalo also returned defenseman Brendan Guhle to his Canadian Junior Hockey team in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. ' ' '