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. Will Clapp Stitched Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Black Saints Jerseys . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. http://www.officialsaintsnflauthenticshop.com/ . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Elite Saints Jerseys .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Kamrin Moore Stitched Jersey .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Olympic city of Rio de Janeiro is picturesque, particularly from the air with stunning views of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugar Loaf Mountain and miles of sandy beaches running from Copacabana to Ipanema and beyond.Part of the lure in choosing Rio seven years ago for the Olympics was for these stunning views. Television networks from around the world will take advantage of the breathtaking landscape, flying high over Guanabara Bay to record sailing races and other events.Viewers will love it and the worlds sailors are thrilled, being in the middle of the action in an Olympics instead of hidden hundreds of miles away in a small harbor.AP Rio de Janeiro-based photographer shot many of the venues from a helicopter Monday.Photo 1 -- The famous Christ the Redeemer statue towers high over the city, offering a perfect view of the Maracana Stadium -- the venue for the soccer finals and the Olympic ceremonies. You can also see The Little Maracana, which will host indoor volleyball.Photo 2 -- Rios Olympic Park, the largest venue cluster for the games. The venue in the lower right will host gymnastics. Above that is the cycling velodrome, followed by the three Carioca arenas, the largest which will host mens basketball and the womens medal round. To the left of the Carioca arenas is the handball venue, which is just below the main swimming venue. Abovve the velodrome is the main tennis stadium.ddddddddddddPhoto 3 -- Golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 in St. Louis. It will be played on a course carved from a nature reserve, which slowed construction and prompted lawsuits during the building phase. The course is links style, more like Scotland than the U.S. Golfers may deal with strong wind gusts.Photo 4 -- Arpoador Beach is nestled between Copacabana and Ipanema. Its famous for the spectacular views at sunset, often drawing thousands to take in the view over a cool, tropical drink.Photo 5 -- Cariocas -- as Rio residents are known -- get some sun on Ipanema Beach. The famous beach will be forever tied to the song The Girl from Ipanema. By the way, the correct pronunciation is different from the most popular English version of the song: ee-pah-NAY-mah, not ee-pah-nee-mah.Photo 6 -- More sunbathers on Ipanema Beach.Photo 7 -- The beach volleyball venue on Copacabana Beach, which is sure to be one of the hottest tickets and promises lots of late night excitement.Photo 8 -- This photo captures Rios most famous three images: Christ the Redeemer in the foreground, the huge Guanabara Bay, and Sugar Loaf Mountain rising just to the right of the famous Art Deco statue of Christ. Discount NFL Jerseys Cheap Stitched Jerseys Disocunt Football Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store ' ' '