MILWAUKEE -- It was a tough night at the ballpark for Ryan Braun. First, the Brewers slugger accidentally knocked shortstop Jean Segura out of the game after hitting him in the head with his bat while warming up on the top steps of the dugout in the first. Braun departed himself after the eighth with a slight chest muscle strain. The injuries wiped some of the lustre off Marco Estradas strong outing in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday that gave Milwaukee its seventh win in eight games. Manager Ron Roenicke said Segura didnt have a concussion or fractures, but needed stitches to close a gash on his face. Segura might miss a few days, while Braun labeled himself as day to day. Foremost in Brauns mind was that Segura seemed to be OK after the scary moment. "Obviously, its never something thats done intentionally," Braun said. "You know whenever youre involved in a situation like that, I think it puts life in perspective and you realize how insignificant baseball is. Thank God from everything weve heard hes OK." Estrada (2-1) threw 7 2-3 strong innings with nine strikeouts. Jeff Bianchi went 2 for 4, entering the game as a pinch hitter in the first for Segura. The Brewers had to take a few moments to regroup after seeing Segura on the floor of the dugout in pain. He had to be helped to the clubhouse. Braun was facing the field on the top steps of the dugout, where he normally stations himself for his warmup routine. Segura, who was batting second ahead of third-place hitter Braun, was coming up the steps behind him, and a TV replay showed the All-Star shortstop getting it on the right side of the head. "It bugged me all game but its one of those things you hope you can prevent. I know Braunny felt bad," Roenicke said. "Bianchi came in and did a great job for him." Bianchi drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the second off Travis Wood (1-3). Francisco Rodriguez tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save. Wood had his toughest outing of the season, yielding five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. "It was a grind and a battle tonight," he said. "I didnt have my A game. I was missing balls and falling behind hitters." Estrada retired the first 10 hitters he faced -- a few on flyballs deep into the outfield -- before Luis Valbuena turned on a 2-0 fastball for a solo homer to right. The righty then retired 10 in a row again, effectively mixing a changeup and curveball with fastball in the high 80s. He maintained control until Welington Castillo hit a two-run shot in the eighth to get the Cubs within two. Estrada departed having allowed four hits and no walks. "Its the best Ive felt so far since spring training," Estrada said. "The last couple games, I just havent felt like myself. But today I did." Chicago, which lost its fourth straight, is already 10 1/2 games back in the NL Central behind division-leading Milwaukee, which has the majors best record at 18-6. "The teams rolling right now and just kind of riding the waves, going with it, and playing outstanding ball," Wood said. But the win was overshadowed somewhat by the injury to Segura, adding to whats already been a tough start of the season. Segura, who was hitting .239, also missed the last two weeks of spring training with sore right shoulder. Braun has also had somewhat of a tricky start after returning to the lineup this season following a 65-game doping suspension. Braun is hitting .318, but hes also been dealing with a lingering right hand injury that carried over from last year. NOTES: Chicago placed struggling reliever Jose Veras on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique. RHP Brian Schlitter was recalled from Triple-A Iowa, and arrived in time for the game. Veras had a 15.88 ERA and blew both of his save opportunities. ... The Cubs have lost seven of eight to Milwaukee dating to last season. ... Rodriguez picked up his 315th save, three behind Rick Aguilera for 17th place on the career list. ... Chicago will try to avoid a sweep by sending Jason Hammel (3-1) to mound Sunday against Wily Peralta (3-0). Fake USA Soccer Jerseys . The Major League Soccer teams were scheduled to play on Saturday night, but their game was rescheduled after Stu Tudor was hit during a pregame storm. The 54-year-old lieutenant in the Columbus Fire Department is in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the Ohio State Medical Center. Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseys .J. -- All those records, all for naught. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/.Y. -- Sore nose and all, Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to help Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 5-3 on Friday night, snapping the Penguins mini-slump and slowing the Sabres late-season surge. Stitched USA Soccer Jerseys . He managed to save par, and went on to put together his best opening round of the year. Calcavecchia and Wes Short Jr. USA Soccer Pro Shop . Toronto has lost six of its last eight games but is coming off Thursdays 7-3 victory at Kansas City. Juan Francisco and Colby Rasmus both went deep for the Blue Jays, who are second in the American League with 34 home runs on the season."We, The People, In Order To Form A More Perfect Union..." Disregard the fact that the phrase is from an American political document or that there can be nothing "more perfect". Instead, review how the Toronto Raptors began their perfectly imperfect quest and whats next for the squad. October 31, 2013: Start of the 2013-14 NBA season. Fresh off a solid training camp with a full complement of players and outwardly optimistic, questions about the future of the franchise under president and general manager Masai Ujiri remained. With a highly publicized and strongly projected 2014 Draft Class, uncertainty about roster stability, quality and identity of the team and what appeared to be a lame duck head coach in Dwane Casey, RaptorNation and TankNation seemed to be in accord. Not having sniffed playoff pay dirt since a 2008 first round ouster at the hands of the then-Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic, an uneasy relationship with multiple monikers on what lay ahead for Canadas Team abounded: Mishandle For Randle, Concede For Embiid, Be Sorry For Jabari, Stop Caring For Aaron and of course Riggin For Wiggins. A shrewd and savvy front office executive, Ujiri has proven to be in just a few short months north of the border, jettisoning the personages and albatross-like contracts of Andrea Bargnani and Rudy Gay for more than just flotsam and salary cap relief. The deft moves brought in team players and quality, unselfish veterans in Steve Novak, Greveis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and the gritty, gutty Chuck Hayes, all fully aware of their roles and willing to lend to an ever-developing chemistry under head coach Dwane Casey. Now leading the Atlantic Division at 24-21 and in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Raps begin a week-long West Coast swing on Friday and a short homestand before the All-Star break. The energy around this team, despite recent injuries to Amir Johnson and the newly-minted All-Star DeMar DeRozan, has been at a fever pitch. Despite bucking for home court advantage in the playoffs, there is an overwhelming consensus that Ujiri will move Kyle Lowry by the NBAs trade deadline instead of losing the unrestricted free agent in the offseason. But dont be so sure. Any day between now and February 20 may well be The Tomorrow You Should Have Feared Yesterday as the Toronto Raptors and Masai Ujiri in particular, face a dilemma of potentially franchise-changing dimension. At the crossroad to this predicament, the twisted fates of Lowry and Casey stand. The Question is: Are they all headed in the same direction? "Where our teaam is, I dont know if, as a team, were where we can get two guys (on the All-Star team).dddddddddddd Thats the truth, but were getting there," Ujiri said. "Well see how we continue to grow as a team." Is Masai Ujiri willing to roll the dice on Lowry, not move him and hope that he can make a cap friendly and competitively respectful offer in July for his starting point guard to stay in Toronto? All-Star snub aside, Lowry is averaging career highs in points and assists at 16.8 and 7.6 respectively. Arguably one of the Top 10 point guards in The Association, his real growth may be in areas that dont show in the box score, however. "Im going to keep grinding no matter what, All-Star or not," said Lowry. "Im always going to work hard and continue to be the best player I can be to help my team win. So for me, hey I didnt make it, it didnt happen, youve got a game, youve got to worry about the rest of the season and you go on." Does Ujiri have confidence that Casey is the right man for the job to lead the Raptors to heights unseen by the franchise? "My wish, my hope and my desire is to not let this be a one year flash in the pan," said Casey. "We want to develop something and thats why I keep talking about the process." With the Raptors at well beyond tanking level, the delicate ballet of managing expectation, fruitful return on any trade and current chemistry on this team falls in the apt hands of Masai Ujiri. As the exhaustive hype over the strength of the 2014 Draft Class continues to dissipate, Raptor fans might wish to envision the success of Ujiris "No Superstar" team in Denver of 2013. Or look to the steady build of a solidly great team in Oklahoma City by their GM, Sam Presti, who has effectively retained his very best players while building through the Draft, key veteran acquisitions and stability on the bench. Then again, RaptorNation might rest well on the notion of Ujiri standing pat with Casey, Lowry and the rest of the team for this season by thinking about the 2004 Detroit Pistons. It was that unit, led by a highly motivated and well-travelled point guard in former Raptor Chauncey "Mr. Big Shot" Billups, a tough, veteran guard, an athletic young wing, two workhorses down low doing the dirty work, a solid bench and a very good coach, who defeated the seemingly invincible Los Angeles Lakers, fronted by Phil Jackson, Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant, 4-1 in the NBA Finals. Reaching? Perhaps... But dreams have to start somewhere... What "more perfect" place than Toronto with these perfectly imperfected Raptors? ' ' '