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CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Alfredo Simon leads the National League in wins. Hes still hoping to be added to the All-Star team. Simon became the NLs first 12-game winner and Billy Hamilton added to his sensational series with a tiebreaking triple Wednesday night, sending the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-1 victory over the trade-depleted Chicago Cubs. The Reds won their fifth in a row -- matching their season high -- and moved a season-best seven games over .500. After winning the first four games of the series, theyll try for their first five-game sweep since 1976 on Thursday. Cincinnati moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central, its smallest deficit since April 7. The Reds were a season-high 8 1/2 out on June 22. Simon (12-3), left off the NL All-Star roster Sunday, became the first Reds pitcher to win a dozen games before the break since Edinson Volquez also went 12-3 in the first half of 2008. The reliever-turner-starter gave up four hits in 6 2-3 innings, including Anthony Rizzos third homer in four games. If another pitcher has to pull out of the All-Star game next week, Simon would be considered. "Im really happy with myself," he said. "I think I have the numbers to be on the All-Star team. I dont know whats going to happen. They told me to stand by." Hamilton tripled home a run and scored during a three-run fifth against Dallas Beeler (0-2), who has lost his first two starts in the majors. Cubs manager Rick Renteria was ejected during the inning for arguing a foul ball call with third base umpire Andy Fletcher. Hamilton is 7 for 15 with three triples, three walks, two steals and seven RBIs during the series. On Tuesday night, his ninth-inning single completed the Reds comeback from a five-run deficit to a 6-5 win and a doubleheader sweep. Hamilton flied out in his last at-bat and left the game because his left hamstring was tight. He expects to miss a few games. "Its been bothering me for the past couple of days," Hamilton said. "I knew something was happening. On the last at-bat, I stepped down and I felt it pull when I started running." Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips also left in the eighth after spraining his left thumb while making a sliding catch. X-rays were negative. He wore a splint on the thumb as he left the clubhouse. Its been a tough week for the Cubs, who have lost all six games -- their deepest slump of the season -- since they dealt starters Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland for a package of prospects. Beeler and several others will get a chance to move up from the minors and fill their spots. The 25-year-old pitcher gave up four runs, six hits and four walks in five innings. Simon has been one of the majors biggest surprises. Moved into the rotation when Mat Latos tore knee cartilage in spring training, the 33-year-old pitcher is having by far the best year of his career, ranking among the league leaders in several categories. The right-hander walked two, matched his season high with eight strikeouts and threw 119 pitches, retiring 13 in a row during one stretch. Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances. The left-hander has fanned at least one batter in each of his last 38 appearances, leaving him one shy of Bruce Sutters record for a reliever since 1900. The Cubs called up second baseman Arismendy Alcantara for a couple of days. The 22-year-old infielder batted second and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. Hell return to Triple-A Iowa when second baseman Darwin Barney returns from paternity leave. NOTES: The Reds last sweep of a five-game series came against San Diego in 1976. They havent swept the Cubs in a five-game series since 1931 at Redland Field. ... RHP Kyle Hendricks will make his major league debut on Thursday, facing Cincinnatis Homer Bailey (8-5). The Reds have won 10 of Baileys last 11 starts against the Cubs. ... It was Renterias fifth ejection. ... The Cubs optioned LHP Chris Rusin to Iowa to open a roster spot for Beeler. Jonathan Osorio Toronto Shirts . It was well worth the wait. Manning and the Denver Broncos waited eight long months, then another 33 minutes to get the season started because of a lightning storm. Alex Bono Jersey . Last year, Matt Kuchar closed with a 4-under 68 to beat Kevin Chappell by two strokes for his second win of the 2013 season and sixth of his career. http://www.torontofcshop.com/c-7-benoit ... ersey.aspx. Erik Logan, president of the network, said Friday that the postponement was made after meetings with the St. Louis Rams. Josh Williams Jersey .Y. -- That hangover from the Big East tournament is gone for Villanova. Marco Delgado Toronto Shirts .Steamboat Ski Resort contends Steamboat Springs, Colorado has long been known as Ski Town, U.S.A., and claims in a new lawsuit that Salt Lake tourism officials violated their trademark when they rolled out the Ski City marketing campaign last month.NASHVILLE -- With a year-long federal fraud investigation looming over it, the huge truck-stop chain owned by the family of the Cleveland Browns owner and Tennessees governor is doing some housecleaning at its highest levels. Several top executives at Pilot Flying J, including the president, abruptly left this week, more than a year after FBI agents raided the Knoxville, Tennessee, headquarters of the nations largest diesel retailer. Ten former employees have previously pleaded guilty to helping cheat trucking companies out of promised rebates and discounts. Those cases and this weeks departures, observers note, could indicate that prosecutors are entering the final phase of a methodical probe that has included records suggesting Pilot CEO and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam knew of the scheme, something he denies. One expert said Haslam might be cutting ties with his senior staff in a bid to persuade prosecutors not to charge the company his father founded decades ago, one in which his brother, Gov. Bill Haslam, still holds an undisclosed stake. Pilot President Mark Hazelwood and Scott "Scooter" Wombold, vice-president of national accounts, left the company Monday, with Haslam sending a company-wide email thanking Hazelwood for his service but saying nothing about why or how he was leaving. Tuesday saw the departure of five more members of the sales team. Dennis B. Francis, a Knoxville attorney who has worked in federal criminal defence for 40 years, said the only way this weeks departures make sense to him is if some of the people leaving are co-operating with prosecutors. For a defendant to get a lighter sentence than federal guidelines mandate, prosecutors have to file court papers saying that person provided substantial assistance to the government. Once prosecutors have the evidence they need to convict, they no longer offer any promises of special consideration. "They call it getting on the bus," said Francis, who is not involved in the Pilot case. "And theres only so much room on the bus." Wombolds attorney, John E. Kelly, said in an email that his client had been "helping the company repair many customer relationships during the past 14 months. Mr. Wombolds departure from the company is not connected to past guilty pleas entered into by former employees, and any inferencce that there is a connection is not accurate.dddddddddddd" Hazelwoods attorney declined to comment. Company representatives said they couldnt comment on specific personnel moves, which took place while Jimmy Haslam was meeting with fellow NFL owners in Atlanta. "Nothing more should be read into the events of this week than things playing themselves out," spokesman Tom Ingram said Wednesday. "Otherwise, the company continues to go full steam ahead and business as usual, and is doing very well." Jimmy Haslam has denied any previous knowledge of the fraud or any personal wrongdoing. The governor has said he is not involved with operating Pilot Flying J. Pilot agreed in November to pay out nearly $85 million to settle claims in a class-action lawsuit with 5,500 trucking companies. Several companies have filed separate lawsuits against Pilot that are ongoing. Nashville criminal defence attorney and former prosecutor David Raybin said that, based on his observations and experience, the departure of so many managers at once indicates that criminal charges could soon be filed. And he suggested that prosecutors are aiming high. "You dont make a bunch of people plead guilty at the lower levels and then let the top people off with a fine," said Raybin, who does not represent anyone in the case. "Theyre potentially jailing five to 10 people. You dont do that unless you are targeting the highest levels of the company." An affidavit filed last year to obtain a search warrant for Pilot headquarters states that a confidential informant told the FBI that both Hazelwood and Jimmy Haslam knew about the fraud at the company because it was discussed openly at sales meetings where both were present. Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at George Washington University Law School, said that while the sudden departures are unusual, they could mean any number of things. For example, Pilot might be fearful that the company could be charged criminally, or the companys board of directors may have decided that the people who have left recently were partly responsible for what happened. "One reason the company might fire them is to say, Look, were cleaning house. Were getting rid of the bad people, so dont indict the corporation," Eliason said. Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '