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LOS ANGELES -- Anthony Rizzos bat shattered into shards, and the ball trickled onto an empty patch of infield grass. The Chicago Cubs cleanup hitter scampered to first base in the ninth inning, getting just his second hit this postseason in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series.In an October of increasing offensive ineptitude, the powerful Cubs are looking for any kind of break to get them going.Thats the kind of hit that we needed, fellow slugger Kris Bryant said. Thats the hit that can spark a team.Except it didnt. This combustible offense remains quiet and cold -- and after a superlative regular season, the Cubs have been shut out in back-to-back playoff games.With its pitching staff again dominating one of baseballs best lineups, Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 6-0 victory Tuesday night over Jake Arrieta and the Cubs.If the Cubs dont find their offense before they leave LA, the most infamous championship drought in sports will stretch into next year.Chicago had never been blanked in two straight playoff games before the Dodgers did it. Chicagos 18 consecutive scoreless innings comprise the longest drought in the teams postseason history, two more than the 1906 squad.This 103-win club spent exactly one day out of first place this season, but the Cubs are trailing in the NLCS because their hitters have been silenced ever since that five-run eighth inning in a Game 1 victory.I dont gamble, but I probably wouldnt have gambled on that one, Chicago catcher Miguel Montero said.Including a 1-0 loss in Game 2, Chicago is a collective 6 for 60 with one extra-base hit over the last two games. The Cubs hadnt been shut out since Aug. 28, but Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill did it with plenty of help from closer Kenley Jansen.This is highly unusual for the Cubs, who were third in the big leagues with 808 runs during the regular season. They had the majors second-best on-base percentage before the postseason, but baserunners have been scarce for most of their seven playoff games, and their team batting average is languishing below .200.Were not hitting the ball hard, manager Joe Maddon said. Theyve pitched well. Obviously, I have no solid explanation. Weve just got to keep working at it. ... There is really no excuse. We just have to pick it up quickly.Chicago hadnt been shut out in consecutive games since May 2014, but the Cubs never really threatened against Los Angeles -- and their best hitters realize they bear the responsibility.MVP candidate Rizzo (2 for 26), Addison Russell (1 for 24), Jason Heyward (2 for 19), Dexter Fowler (5 for 28) and Ben Zobrist (4 for 26) are all struggling mightily in the postseason. The middle of Chicagos lineup is particularly lacking, and Maddons adjustments havent helped.The Cubs were baffled by Hill, the 36-year-old journeyman who was playing independent ball just more than 14 months ago. Hill threw six innings of two-hit ball, and Arrieta couldnt keep up in his return to the stadium where he threw a no-hitter in August 2015.The 2015 Cy Young Award winner had a middling NLCS start for the second straight season, giving up four runs and six hits to the Dodgers over five-plus innings. Last October, he gave up four runs and four hits over five innings to the Mets in Game 2 of New Yorks sweep.Maddon dropped Heyward from the lineup for Game 3, but replacement Jorge Soler went hitless and made two misplays in right field, although neither cost the Cubs any runs. Heyward struck out on three pitches as a pinch hitter to end the seventh, taking a terrible swing on a down-and-in slider from Joe Blanton.Fowlers two-out double in the eighth off reliever Grant Dayton was the Cubs first extra-base hit since Game 1, but Jansen promptly struck out Bryant. After Rizzos shattered-bat single, Jansen calmly finished off the win.The playoffs always provide small sample sizes of teams woes, but California pitching has flummoxed the Cubs through seven games in October. They didnt hit much even in the Division Series against San Francisco, batting a collective .200 with a meager .247 on-base percentage while relying on pitchers at the plate for an alarmingly big chunk of their runs in that four-game series victory.Game 4 on Wednesday suddenly looms as pivotal for the Cubs, who had five two-game skids in the second half of the season, but havent lost three straight since early July.Youre playing against great teams at this time of year, Montero said. You just try to live in the moment. And maybe you have to have a better plan.Fake NBA Jerseys 2019 . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Fake Nike NBA Jerseys .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. http://www.fakenbajerseys.com/ .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Discount Fake NBA Jerseys . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Fake NBA Jerseys China .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again.CALGARY, Alberta -- Stopped twice on dangerous chances earlier, Michael Frolik wasnt about to let Mike Smith deny him a third time.Frolik scored 49 seconds into overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday night.Frolik stole the puck from Brad Richardson after a faceoff in the Flames end and skated in at top speed and ripped a shot inside the post on Coyotes goalie Mike Smith for his team-leading sixth of the season.I saw a little bit more space outside to maybe go to the backhand, Frolik said, but last second I saw a guy coming across so I just tried to shoot it glove side and it went in.After a scoreless first period, Frolik had a great chance in the opening minute of the second but Smith jabbed out a pad to deny him from in close. Five minutes later, Smith throw up his glove and stabbed his snap shot from 20 feet out.Sometimes its frustrating when you have chances like that and it doesnt go in, Frolik said. But I just try not to think about it and just keep going and try to do a little better on the next shot.Matthew Tkachuk scored in regulation for Calgary, which snapped a three-game home skid. Chad Johnson started for the second straight night and finished with 20 saves.Tobias Rieder scored for Arizona and Smith, back after missing 12 games with a knee injury, stopped 22 shots.Rieder gave the Coyotes the lead with 18 seconds remaining in the second period as he pounced on the rebound of Justin Martinooks shot and buried it behind Johnson.Were turning the puck over too much and bringing trouble on ourselves, not generating very much and turnovers are making us play too much in our own end, Arizona coach Dave Tippett said.Calgary, limited to 13 shots through the first 40 minutes, tied it at 6:40 of the third as Tkachuk fired a shot from a sharp angle just above the goal line under the crossbar for his fourth.Any time a goal like that goes in is deflating for the whole team. Thats on me, Smith said. It could have been a 1-0 game and were feeling a loot different coming into the locker room tonight.ddddddddddddFlames coach Glen Gulutzan continues to be impressed by the 18-year-old Tkachuk.It was one heck of a shot, Gulutzan said. There wasnt any room there. He made a big play. Hed been working all night, like he usually does. Im happy for him.The Flames controlled play ijn the third but couldnt get a go-ahead goal. Among Smiths stops in the period was a stick save on Dennis Wideman and a sharp pad stop on Troy Brouwer.After an uneventful and scoreless first period, Calgary went to the attack to begin the second. On the opening shift, Tkachuk shot wide on a partial breakaway, Smith jabbed out a pad to deny Frolik from in-tight and TJ Brodies wrist shot from the low slot was turned aside.Five minutes later, Frolik had another dangerous chance from in front only to be thwarted again, this time Smith throwing up his glove to stab Froliks snap shot from 20 feet out.It was the first game in what will be an extended stretch for Calgary without leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau, who underwent finger surgery on Wednesday after getting injured Tuesday night in Minnesota.Every guy recognizes that we lost a really good player and now collectively, we have to play a certain way to get ourselves in a position to get points in this league, Gulutzan said. Its certainly hurt us as a hockey club but we look at it as something we can rally around and try to find a true identity here.Sam Bennett took his spot on the top line with Sean Monahan and Brouwer.Game notesLinden Vey was inserted into the forward spot opened up by Gaudreaus injury. ... Arizonas Martin Hanzal (lower body) returned after missing six games. ... Defensemen Luke Schenn and Kevin Connauton returned to the Coyotes lineup with Connor Murphy and rookie Jakob Chychrun taking a seat.UP NEXTCoyotes: At Vancouver on Thursday night.Flames: Host Chicago on Friday night. ' ' '