CHICAGO -- Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio both strongly denied any allegations they have negatively recruited against Penn State, responding to a subtle suggestion from Nittany Lions coach James Franklin that the Big Ten football powers are continuing to use the programs past against it.Franklin has brought up the difficulty of dealing with opponents using an aggressive strategy against the Nittany Lions numerous times in his career with the program.Meyer and Dantonio were asked at Big Ten media days on Tuesday about an interview Franklin gave to the Reading Eagle last month which appeared to name their coaching staffs as using that practice, which both adamantly refuted.I know we have a lot of reporters here, Dantonio said. Everybodys got a pen. But from my standpoint, I have not said anything negative about Penn State, and hopefully our coaches have not as well. So I was surprised to read that.I dont know what happens out there on the road completely. But its not our M.O., and thats not how we do business.Meyer appeared to be caught off guard when asked during his podium session about the issue. He said Ohio State wasnt delivering any anti-Penn State messages.Absolutely not, Meyer said. And thats the first time Ive heard that. Ill address that with Coach Franklin if that is an issue. Thats a pretty strong allegation that Ive not heard yet. So thats not been presented to me until this moment. Absolutely not.Weve got a great deal of respect for every school in our conference, and we do just fine with recruiting. We dont worry about that stuff. Im glad you told me that. If thats true, Ill address that.Shortly after leaving his morning interview, Meyer confirmed that he met with Franklin to address the matter.Franklin refused to comment when reached by phone, but told Fox Sports that he didnt name who that was using the attacks against his program.He also didnt specify the types of topics mentioned by opposing coaches on the recruiting trail. But Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour has mentioned as recently as last week recruiters allegedly bringing up the threat of NCAA sanctions tied to the Jerry Sandusky scandal, calling them untrue and a real slap in the face to this profession.The people were competing with -- Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame -- this is just not something they have to deal with, Franklin told the Reading Eagle in June. Although we want to move on, those other schools are not letting us move on. ... Were able to tell kids theyre going to compete against the very highest level week in and week out. What makes it tricky, theyre not having to deal with some of the things were dealing with and working through, which magnifies it. Those programs as well as others know that and use that against us. We have that conversation with every single prospect. We dont usually initiate it, but its coming from somewhere.Meyer and Dantonio both made it clear they dont believe its coming from their programs.By the time media days was winding down, Meyer indicated he and Franklin had cleared the air.Theres no story, Meyer said. I read the article. ... James came up to me and said, I did not accuse Ohio State of negative recruiting. I said, Im good and shook his hand. Wholesale Shoes For Sale . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. 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LOUIS -- Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of home runs and Jon Lester pitched eight dominant innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-0 on Wednesday to clinch a playoff berth.The Cubs improved their major league-best record to 93-52 and lowered their magic number to one for clinching their first NL Central title since 2008. They can do it Thursday night with a win at home over Milwaukee or a St. Louis loss in San Francisco.Chicago secured at least a wild card because the four-game series between the Cardinals and Giants makes it impossible for both to catch the Cubs in the standings.The Cardinals remained a half-game behind the New York Mets and one game behind the Giants for the two NL wild cards.Lester (17-4) allowed four baserunners, none of which got past first. Cubs catcher David Ross threw out two Cardinals trying to steal second, and Lester faced just two batters more than the minimum.St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez (14-8) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings.DODGERS 2, YANKEES 0NEW YORK -- Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw pitched five nearly perfect innings before Justin Turner hit an RBI double off Dellin Betances in a two-run ninth.The Dodgers took advantage of errors by second baseman Starlin Castro and Betances (3-5) to increase their NL West lead to five games over San Francisco.The Yankees completed a 7-3 homestand and remained two games behind Toronto for the second AL wild card. Next up, they begin an 11-game trip -- their longest of the season -- to Boston, Tampa Bay and Toronto.Kershaw gave up one hit without a walk, pitching through two rain delays in his first career start at Yankee Stadium.Luis Avilan (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and Kenley Janson struck out three in the ninth for his 44th save.ORIOLES 1, RED SOX 0BOSTON -- Mark Trumbo hit his major league-leading 42nd home run, Kevin Gausman outpitched Rick Porcello over eight innings and Baltimore pulled within a game of AL East-leading Boston.Baltimore took two of three in the series to pull a game ahead of slumping Toronto for the top AL wild card.Zach Britton closed for his 43rd save and Baltimore became the first team to beat Porcello at Fenway Park this season.Gausman (8-10) and Porcello (20-4) had nearly identical line scores over eight innings, each striking out six and allowing just four hits, except Porcello allowed Trumbos leadoff shot in the second inning.Porcello was 13-0 in home starts with one no decision entering the game.NATIONALS 1, METS 0WASHINGTON -- Tanner Roark pitched seven spotless innings and Wilson Ramos homered in the seventh inning as Washington beat New York.With one out in the seventh, Ramos hit his 21st home run far over the center-field fence on the first pitch from Fernando Salas (0-1). The Nationals have won five of six.Roark (15-8) allowed three hits with seven strikeouts and four walks, one intentional.Blake Treinen pitched the eighth and Mark Melancon got three outs for his 42 save.TIGERS 9, TWINS 6DETROIT -- Miguel Cabreras homer broke a seventh-inning tie, and Detroit rallied for a crucial victory.The Tigers trailed 5-2 in the fourth inning, but came from behind to pull one game behind Toronto for the second AL wild card.Ian Kinsler had four hits, falling a homer short of the cycle, and drove in three runs while scoring two. Brian Dozier and Kurt Suzuki homered for the Twins.Shane Greene (5-4) got the win, while Ryan Pressly (6-7) took the loss after surrendering Cabreras homer.Francisco Rodriguez put up a perfect ninth for his 42nd save.PADRES 3, GIANTS 1SAN FRANCISCO -- Madison Bumgarner missed a chance at his 100th career win and San Francisco wasted another opportunity for a potential push in the NL West, getting swept by fourth-place San Diego.Luis Perdomo (8-9) allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball. Brandon Maurer finished for his 10th save.Luis Sardinas had an RBI single among his three hits for the Padres.Bumgarner (14-9) gave up three runs over 6 2/3 innings. The Giants fell five games behind the first-place Dodgers.ddddddddddddRAYS 8, BLUE JAYS 1TORONTO -- Alex Cobb won for the first time in almost two years, and Kevin Kiermaier and Corey Dickerson each hit a two-run homer to lead Tampa Bay past Toronto.Cobb (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in 6 2/3 innings to win for the first time since Sept. 23, 2014, against Boston. The right-hander recently returned from Tommy John surgery.Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson sat out his third straight game for the Blue Jays and was scheduled to get an MRI on his sore right hip.Marco Estrada (8-9) yielded four runs in 5 1/3 innings.ASTROS 8, RANGERS 4HOUSTON -- Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman both left with injuries, but George Springer and Teoscar Hernandez homered, helping Houston keep its fading playoff hopes alive.Altuve exited after the fourth with right oblique discomfort, and Bregman was pulled in the sixth with right hamstring discomfort.Houston snapped a three-game losing streak and closed within 3 1/2 games of Toronto for the second AL wild card.The Astros got just their fourth win in 19 games against the Rangers this season.Houstons Joe Musgrove (3-4) allowed three runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.Derek Holland (7-8) allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 1CHICAGO -- Josh Tomlin pitched five effective innings in his return to the Indians rotation, Coco Crisp hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to break the game open and Cleveland beat Chicago to remain six games ahead of Detroit in the AL Central.Tomlin (12-8) allowed one run and four hits and walked none as he ended a personal five-game losing streak.Crisp, who also doubled, went deep to left with none out in the sixth to chase Carlos Rodon (7-9), who allowed six runs to match his season high and lost for the first time since July 31.ATHLETICS 8, ROYALS 0KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Yonder Alonso and Marcus Semien hit two-run doubles as Oakland beat Kansas City for the third straight game to further ruin the Royals postseason chances.The 2015 World Series champion Royals are five games out in the AL wild card with 17 games left and would have to climb over five teams.As rookie left-hander Sean Manaea (5-9) picked up his first career road victory, retiring 13 of the final 14 batters he faced in five scoreless innings.Yordano Ventura (10-11) was pulled after 4 1/3 innings.MARLINS 7, BRAVES 5ATLANTA -- Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer and Miami rallied to beat Julio Teheran and Atlanta in a testy game.The benches for both teams emptied in the seventh inning after Atlanta reliever Jose Ramirez threw inside to Miami ace Jose Fernandez, who had been knocked to the ground by a pitch from Teheran (5-10) in the fifth.No punches were thrown and Ramirez was ejected.The comeback from a 4-1 deficit helped Fernandez (15-8) stop a five-game road losing streak, the longest of his career.PHILLIES 6, PIRATES 2PHILADELPHIA -- Freddy Galvis continued his home run surge, hitting his 19th of the season to lead Philadelphia.Galvis connected on a two-run shot in the second inning off Steven Brault (0-3) for his 10th homer in the last 32 games.The Phillies got a rare boost on the mound from righty Jake Thompson (2-5). Thompson, who won for the first time since Aug. 12, allowed six hits and two runs over six solid innings.Tommy Joseph hit his 19th homer for the Phillies. Jeanmar Gomez got the final two outs of the ninth for his 37th save.BREWERS 7, REDS 0CINCINNATI -- Junior Guerra pitched six shutout innings, Scooter Gennett and Domingo Santana homered and Milwaukee beat Cincinnati to avoid a three-game sweep.Guerra (9-3), in his third start since coming off the disabled list with right elbow inflammation, allowed just one baserunner past second base -- Jose Peraza on a one-out triple in the third inning.Tim Adleman (2-4) was the loser. ' ' '