personality, as evidenced by his profanity-laced appearances

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. Cheap Vans Shoes Free Shipping .The South African had three birdies on the front nine and another four after the turn at Leopard Creek Country Club to move to 16-under 128 overall.Grace, who won all four of his European Tour titles in 2012, dropped his only shot of the competition on the par-3 fifth. Wholesale Vans Authentic . -- For one night, Nick Calathes provided a big reason to believe the Memphis Grizzlies might be able to withstand the loss of Mike Conley on a short-term basis. http://www.clearancevans.com/ . Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley. Fake Vans Shoes Suppliers . LaQuinton Ross scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, hitting his first four 3-pointers, to send No. Vans Shoes Cheap . Cox started the season with San Francisco, but was released by the team on Nov. 12 before being signed by Seattle, where he appeared in two games and tallied three tackles before being released on Dec. MINNEAPOLIS -- Mike Zimmer is finally a head coach in the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings think now is the time for the veteran defensive co-ordinator. The Vikings announced on Twitter on Wednesday night that they had hired Zimmer for their top coaching job. "Im extremely excited to bring a championship to the state of Minnesota and to the great fan base of the Vikings," Zimmer said in a video posted on the teams Twitter account. "I cant wait to get to work." Long after reports first surfaced about the hire, the Vikings remained quiet. Their silence was strange, considering a report by ESPN that they had already requested and received permission from Cleveland to interview offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner for the same position in Minnesota. The top headline on the team website touted an area winner in the annual NFL Punt, Pass & Kick contest. That doesnt mean the Vikings werent delighted about the ninth head coach in their 54-year history. Tight end Kyle Rudolph, centre John Sullivan and defensive end Brian Robison were among the players who expressed excitement about the former Bengals assistant via their Twitter accounts. "Fired up about Coach Zimmer! As a Cincy kid hes been fun to watch there and cant wait to work with him!" Rudolph tweeted. For the Bengals, the news was bittersweet. Zimmer, who has been an NFL defensive co-ordinator for the last 14 seasons, spent six of those with Cincinnati. "Today is one of the happiest and yet saddest days for me. Happy Coach Zimm finally gets to be a head coach and spread all of his knowledge," cornerback Terence Newman tweeted. The Bengals were third in the league in yards allowed and fifth in points against this season, though they lost in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year. "Gonna miss you coach Zimmer! Wish you nothing but the best in Minnesota. You brought out the best in each of your players! So honoured to have been coached by you!" tweeted linebacker Rey Maualuga. Zimmer replaces Leslie Frazier, another former Bengals defensive co-ordinator who was fired Dec. 30 after the team finished 5-10-1 this season. General manager Rick Spielman interviewed at least seven candidates. He and Vikings owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf ssettled on the one who was widely considered around the league to be the most overdue for a head coaching job.dddddddddddd Zimmer has interviewed for several vacancies in recent years, including this month with Tennessee. The 57-year-old Zimmer played at Illinois State and spent 14 seasons coaching in the college ranks before being hired in 1994 as an assistant with Dallas. He got a Super Bowl ring the following season as defensive backs coach. Then he became defensive co-ordinator of the Cowboys in 2000 and spent seven seasons at that post, the last four under coach Bill Parcells. Zimmer led defences in Dallas that operated in both the 4-3 and 3-4 alignments, including the 2003 group that surrendered the fewest yards in the league. The Wilfs, natives of New Jersey, grew up as New York Giants fans and are admirers of Parcells from his days coaching that team. After one tumultuous year as the defensive co-ordinator for Atlanta, when Falcons coach Bobby Petrino quit midseason in 2007, Zimmer went to Cincinnati to work for coach Marvin Lewis. In 2009, when his wife, Vikki, unexpectedly died, Zimmer was named the winner of several NFL assistant coach of the year awards. Zimmer has a fiery personality, as evidenced by his profanity-laced appearances on HBOs "Hard Knocks," which featured the Bengals in 2009 and 2013. That overt intensity is a contrast to Frazier, who went 21-33-1 in three-plus seasons with one appearance in the playoffs. Frazier was a popular figure in the locker room and throughout the organization, but as a former defensive coach his area of expertise became the teams biggest downfall. Despite a carousel at quarterback, the aged, injury-depleted defence was mostly responsible for the sorry showing this season. The Vikings allowed an average of 30 points per game, the most in the league, and 397.8 yards per game, the second-most. Five of the seven reported candidates who interviewed for the vacancy had defensive backgrounds: Seattle defensive co-ordinator Dan Quinn, Cleveland defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton, Arizona defensive co-ordinator Todd Bowles, San Francisco defensive line coach Jim Tomsula and Zimmer. The other two were offensive co-ordinators: Seattles Darrell Bevell and San Franciscos Greg Roman. ' ' '