said. We have a lot of good people that know what theyre doing but it takes time to find the right position for everybody.The people that in charge now have been with the team a long, long time

HOUSTON -- Kris Bryant gave the Houston Astros an up-close look at what could have been.Bryant hit a two-run homer, Jon Lester threw seven scoreless innings and Hector Rondon and Aroldis Chapman completed the shutout to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-0 win over the Astros on Friday night.It was Bryants first career game against the team that passed on him with the first pick in the 2013 draft to take starter Mark Appel, who was traded to Philadelphia this offseason before ever playing in the majors. Before the game Chicago manager Joe Maddon had a simple answer when he was asked about Houstons decision not to draft Bryant.Thank you, Maddon said with a smile.Bryant seemed to have grown weary of all the rehashing of that draft in the last few days, but seemed amused when he was asked if he likes hitting in Houston.Yeah, (batting practice) was fun for sure, he said. Just dont hit it to center.Bryant, taken second in that draft, avoided Houstons deep center field and smacked his 37th homer off Joe Musgrove (2-4) to the short porch in left field to put the Cubs up 2-0 in the fifth inning.Lester (16-4) allowed seven hits and struck out seven for his seventh straight win. He hasnt lost since July 3, hasnt allowed a run in three of those starts and gave up just one run in four others in that span.Rondon took over for the eighth and struck out two before Aroldis Chapman struck out one in a perfect ninth for his 13th save.The victory improved the Cubs to an MLB-best 90-50 a year after they won 97 games to give them consecutive 90-win seasons for the first time since doing it in three straight years from 1928-1930.The Astros had trouble stringing hits together against Lester, and didnt have more than one in an inning until the seventh when Yulieski Gurriel singled with one out and Marwin Gonzalez got another single with two outs. But Lester struck out Colby Rasmus looking to end the threat.Felt like that was the real big turning point in the game, Lester said. I felt like if we give up a hit there the momentum goes back on their side and it seems like theyre kind of built on that.Musgrove allowed three hits and two runs with five strikeouts in six innings for his fourth loss in five starts.Manager A.J. Hinch was disappointed that Musgrove walked Dexter Fowler with two outs to set up Bryants homer.Im happy with his effort, and obviously, hell go home thinking about the walk to Fowler before Bryants big home run because that really was the only thing they got off of him, Hinch said.Fowler snapped an 0-for-19 skid with a leadoff triple. But Musgrove didnt allow another hit until Bryants homer with two outs in the fifth.Alex Bregman singled for Houston with no outs in the fourth inning and stole second base. But he was thrown out trying to swipe third, too, and the Astros lost a scoring opportunity.THAT HAD TO HURTPlay was stopped for a couple of minutes in the bottom of the sixth inning when home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor got hit on hit on his right shoulder with a foul ball from Teoscar Hernandez. Bucknor was shaken up after taking the hit and was checked on by a member of Houstons training staff. But the trainer soon left and he rubbed on his shoulder a couple of times before remaining in the game.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: SS Carlos Correa missed his third straight game on Friday with inflammation in his left shoulder. Correa said that he was feeling better on Friday and manager Hinch said they hoped to get him back sometime this weekend. ... Ace Dallas Keuchel, who is also out with inflammation in his left shoulder, wont throw until after Sunday. Keuchel was shut down on Monday because of the problem and said on Friday that he is feeling better, but is still struggling with the injury. Theres really no timetable set for return, he said. But I firmly believe were still going to be in the playoff hunt so hopefully I can help the guys out here in the next week or so.UP NEXTCubs: John Lackey (9-7, 3.36) is scheduled to make his second start since coming off the disabled list. He is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last five starts.Astros: Collin McHugh (9-10, 4.96) has won two straight decisions and the Astros have won the last four games that he started.Steph Curry Shoes Deals . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. Steph Curry Shoes Outlet . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. https://www.stephencurryshoescheap.com/ . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Steph Curry Shoes For Sale . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Steph Curry Shoes Free Shipping . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday.SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium -- Kimi Raikkonen says he has full confidence in Ferraris management and its ability to return the team back to the front of the grid in future.?Before the summer break Ferrari parted ways with technical chief James Allison, which has been followed by hints of a McLaren-style restructure in future. The team is yet to win a race in 2016 and there are questions about what Allisons departure may have on Ferraris development for next years car, but Raikkonen insists he is not concerned.Obviously changes in the middle of the year sometimes work, sometimes they dont, but I think looking at the big picture well be fine, Raikkonen said. We have a lot of good people that know what theyre doing but it takes time to find the right position for everybody.The people that in charge now have been with the team a long, long time and they know exactly how it works. I have full conffidence in what theyre doing and if were not there right now, its not because we dont have good people.dddddddddddd. We have to work harder and well be fine -- but it takes time.Raikkonen does not think Ferraris mindset has changed despite the recent upheaval.Asked what would make him happy before the end of 2016, he said: Obviously Id be happy if we start winning as soon as we can. We want to maximise our own stuff and if thats enough, great. We try to improve things all the time, the areas we know were not strong enough. Its the same story than in the earlier races.The break doesnt change the whole thing -- we know where we have to improve but its not going to happen overnight. The other teams dont stop improving either, but what would make me happy was to win. ' ' '