CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are dominating on the mound, making sparkling plays in the field and coming through with big hits at the plate.There is not much to criticize when a team is rolling along like this.Jason Hammel won his career-best fifth straight start, pitching four-hit ball over seven scoreless innings, and Chicago beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night for their season-high ninth straight win.The major league-leading Cubs matched their longest streak since Aug. 6-15 of last year and moved a season-best 30 games over .500 (71-41). They come into a four-game set against St. Louis at Wrigley Field with three straight series sweeps after consecutive victories over the Angels.Hammel (12-5) struck out six, walked two and helped himself at the plate when he singled and scored in the fifth against Ricky Nolasco to make it 2-0.Addison Russell made it 3-1 with a solo homer off JC Ramirez in the eighth.Dexter Fowler chipped in with two hits, including an RBI double. Anthony Rizzo drove in a run with a single, and the Cubs made several neat plays in the field on the way to their 12th win in 13 games.Ive never been on a team this good before, Hammel said. Its kind of silly to go out and watch the guys, how consistent they are. You know something goods going to happen.One sour note for the Cubs. They lost reliever Pedro Strop to a left knee injury late in the game.The Angels, last in the AL West, matched a season high with their sixth straight loss. And with their next four games at AL Central leader Cleveland, the schedule doesnt get much easier.Nolasco (4-9) was a tough-luck loser, allowing two runs and six hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked one in his second start since the Angels acquired him in a trade from Minnesota on Aug. 1.Theyre right at the top with anybody, Nolasco said. Theyre a good team. Obviously there are no breaks in there and theyve got some pretty good guys at the top of the order. Anytime youve got Kris Bryant hitting second, it shows you a lot right there what kind of lineup theyve got.Strop came on in the eighth for Chicago and had to be helped off the field when he tried to make a play on Yunel Escobars leadoff tapper down the third base line. Strop slid in front of third baseman Javier Baez and his left leg appeared to bend awkwardly.He is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday.Travis Wood then gave up a double to Kole Calhoun, putting runners on second and third. Albert Pujols drove in a run with a sharp grounder to second after Carl Edwards Jr. struck out Mike Trout, and Andrelton Simmons grounded out to shortstop to end the rally.Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save in five chances since the Cubs got him in a trade with the New York Yankees last month.Were getting great starting pitching, manager Joe Maddon said. Were getting timely hitting and extraordinary defense. Thats a nice formula to win at any level.LA STELLA UPDATEMaddon said he had no update on INF Tommy La Stella, who has refused to report to Triple-A Iowa after being optioned to the minors nearly two weeks ago. La Stella, who was placed on the temporary inactive list Tuesday, told ESPN.com that hes contemplating retirement and doesnt want to play for another team.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: RHP Garrett Richards, out for the season with a torn elbow ligament, was in good spirits after a pregame workout. Hes scheduled to have an imaging test Monday to determine if he can start playing catch. Richards is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery. I feel zero discomfort in my arm, he said.Cubs: Reliever Hector Rondon (triceps) remained sidelined, Maddon expects him to be available in a few days.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (3-7, 5.27 ERA) makes his first start since July 1 as Los Angeles takes on RHP Corey Kluber (11-8, 3.22) and the Indians.Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (12-4, 2.93) tries to win his third straight start and keep the Cubs win streak going against RHP Carlos Martinez (10-7, 3.29) and the Cardinals. Nike Vapormax Uk Sale . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Cheap Vapormax Uk . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. http://www.wholesalevapormaxuk.com/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Vapormax Cheap Sale . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Vapormax Clearance . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans believe they are ready to make a stand on their home field.Finally.For a franchise thats gone a measly 2-16 at home since the end of the 2013 season, the Titans best chance at a decent season may rest on a three-game homestand that starts Sunday against the winless Cleveland Browns.Its huge because as you guys know, our stands, they get a little empty toward the end of the fourth quarter usually when were losing, defensive lineman Karl Klug said Monday. None of us really like that, but rightfully so. We arent giving the fans much to cheer about. Were going to have to change things.A combined 5-27 overall the past two seasons, the Titans have beaten only Jacksonville in Nashville during that stretch and already have lost their first two home games to start this season. Now theyre coming off a second straight road game by routing Miami 30-17 in a way the Titans believe is the formula to winning under coach Mike Mularkey.Tennessee ran for 235 yards, Marcus Mariota threw for three touchdowns and had his first game this season without an interception, and the defense had six sacks and two interceptions. DeMarco Murray leads the AFC and is second in the NFL with 461 yards rushing, while linebacker Brian Orakpo is tied for third in the league with six sacks already.Still, this franchise hasnt strung together consecutive wins since the end of the 2013 season. Its been such a long stretch that defensive lineman Jurrell Casey couldnt recall when Tennessee last won back-to-back games, though tight end Delanie Walker remembered the occasion happening in his first season with the Titans.Casey said this homestand offers a huge opportunity.This is definitely going to be a momentum kicker, Casey said.dddddddddddd And if we dont improve from this, then were just going in the opposite direction and were not looking forward to that. I think our guys are going to take this under our belt, and were going to run with it. Weve got the right mindset of the group of guys in this building to make sure we make it happen.Cornerback Jason McCourty said the NFL is about putting together streaks.Its not about win a game, lose a game, win a game, McCourty said.Tennessees schedule provides an opportunity to build some momentum.The Titans three losses have come against teams with a combined 12-3 record. The next three opponents are 3-11, with Indianapolis (2-3) and Jacksonville (1-3) following Cleveland. Of the Titans remaining 11 games, only three teams have winning records.Thats our main focus ..., Walker said. We want to win out in the second quarter. Thats all were thinking about. We got one win, now we got three home games, and I think its a great opportunity to get wins at home.Mularkey is trying to keep the Titans focused only on the Browns (0-5), a team that has beaten Tennessee each of the past two seasons. He said theres no way the Titans will look past Cleveland.It has to start somewhere, Mularkey said. Our first opponents Cleveland on Sunday, and thats all were going to lock into.Game notes Mularkey said SS DaNorris Searcy (ankle) and CB Cody Riggs (hamstring) should return to practice this week.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-NFLFollow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker ' ' '