OAKLAND Marcus Semien Jersey , Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have rarely endured even short losing streaks this season.They’re unfazed. These A’s just keep swinging for the fences — and, they hope, right into the playoffs.Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run homer and matched his career high with five RBIs, and Oakland beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-0 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid.“I don’t think we were too worried about the losing streak. We control our own destiny,” Piscotty said. “That’s why this team is so great. We don’t have to have a team meeting to talk about it. We understand what’s at hand and we go out and do it.”Oakland moved within four games of first-place Houston in the AL West and stayed 2 1/2 behind the New York Yankees for the top wild card. The A’s are 5 1/2 games ahead of streaking Tampa Bay for the second wild card with 10 to play.Jed Lowrie and Piscotty each hit a two-run double in a six-run fourth inning to back Brett Anderson (4-5).Piscotty keeps delivering key hits in what he considers his best season. A’s manager Bob Melvin certainly thinks so.“He’s been huge,” Melvin said. “He’s as productive and as clutch a guy as we’ve had all year, too.”Ramon Laureano added an RBI single and a sacrifice fly for the A’s, who had lost four of five.Anderson pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Three relievers finished the four-hitter as Oakland’s 14th shutout of the season took just 2 hours, 23 minutes.“It was good to get back on the winning track,” Anderson said.The lefty delivered the longest outing by an A’s starter in 26 games http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-morgan-jersey , becoming the first to go more than six innings during that stretch — which has included Melvin starting games with a reliever who works just one inning before giving way to a regular starter. The 25 straight games with a starter going six or fewer innings was the second-longest streak in franchise history.“It’s just kind of the way we’re set up,” said Melvin, who also has dealt with an injury-plagued rotation.The left-hander made his second start since coming off the disabled list and taking the loss last Thursday in Baltimore, where he lasted only 3 1/3 innings. He has walked one or fewer batters in each of his past 10 starts, with just five free passes over 54 2/3 innings during that stretch.Anderson retired his first eight batters and got through the second inning on five pitches.Angels starter Felix Pena (3-5) was done after the fourth, allowing six runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk. The right-hander retired his first nine batters.“As these guys got their second look at him, they didn’t miss anything in that fourth inning,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “It was a tough inning for Felix.”Los Angeles shortstop Sherman Johnson made his major league debut in the sixth for the Angels, who were shut out for the 10th time and second by the A’s.TRAINER’S ROOMAngels: RF Kole Calhoun, who was 0 for 5 with three strikeouts a night earlier, had the day off. … Rookie 2B and utilityman David Fletcher Reggie Jackson Jersey , who exited Sunday’s game against Seattle in the first inning with a strained left hamstring, missed a second straight game and won’t be rushed back.Athletics: RHP Trevor Cahill, scratched from his scheduled Saturday start at Tampa Bay with a strain in his upper back before getting trigger-point injections, threw a 35-pitch bullpen and could start this weekend against the Twins if everything feels right Thursday. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. If he feels good tomorrow, then we’ll probably slot him in some point in time on the weekend,” Melvin said. … LHP Sean Manaea had arthroscopic shoulder surgery performed by Dr. Neil ElAttrache in Los Angeles that included posterior labral repair. The A’s said Manaea will begin his rehab program Monday in Arizona.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Matt Shoemaker (2-1, 3.98 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season after returning Sept. 3 from a strained right forearm. He is 6-2 with a 3.61 ERA in 13 career appearances (12 starts) against the A’s.Athletics: RHP Edwin Jackson (5-3, 3.17) beat the Angels in a 7-0 road win for the A’s on Aug. 11. WASHINGTON (AP) — At the end of a long, cold, wet afternoon, the New York Mets managed a split of their final road trip of the season.Michael Conforto hit a go-ahead http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-joyce-jersey , bases-loaded triple, rookie Jeff McNeil matched a career high with four hits and the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 8-6 on Sunday.The first pitch was delayed 25 minutes, and rain continued during the game, which lasted 4 hours, 14 minutes — the longest nine-inning contest this season for both teams. Washington’s grounds crew tended to the infield between innings throughout the day.The Mets finished their road slate at 40-41, better than their 33-42 mark at home, where they have six games left. New York took three of four from the Nationals in the teams’ final series of the season, and went 5-5 on its trip to Boston, Philadelphia and Washington.“It was nice to come in here and be able to do what we did to kind of even up the road trip,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “We played some good teams on the road trip and I think our guys have done a good job of continuing to fight all year, whether it’s the season or a road trip Glenn Hubbard Jersey , or whatever. You don’t always see that, so I’m really proud of that from them.”Washington, which fell to .500 (78-78) a day after it was eliminated from playoff contention, scored three runs in the eighth and got the tying man into scoring position with two outs before Juan Soto fouled out.“Today was a tough game to mentally get in, get ready to play with the rain, the delay. It’s pretty cold for the first time in a long time,” shortstop Trea Turner said. “Wasn’t fun conditions, but I felt like we battled.”The Nationals led 3-1 before New York rallied in the fourth. Wander Suero (3-1) entered with one out and two on and issued a walk before McNeil singled in a run.Conforto then poked a shot to left-center past a diving Michael A. Taylor to clear the bases and make it 5-3. Suero surrendered two more runs in the fifth when Kevin Plawecki delivered an RBI double and scored on Amed Rosario’s infield single.Drew Gagnon (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the Mets. Anthony Swarzak recorded the final five outs for his fourth save in five tries.New York starter Steven Matz allowed three runs in three innings. Washington’s Erick Fedde surrendered three runs in 3 1/3 innings.McNeil improved his batting average to .328 in 195 at-bats since his big league debut on July 24.“It’s awesome to come up here and have instant success,” McNeil said. “I’m going to try to finish strong.”Rookie Victor Robles homered, tripled and drove in three for Washington.TRAINER’S ROOMMets: Callaway said the team still plans to activate 3B David Wright from the disabled list before Tuesday’s game against Atlanta. Wright, who has not played for the Mets since May 2016 because of neck Rickey Henderson Jersey , back and shoulder injuries, is scheduled to start Saturday against Miami in what will likely be his final appearance in the big leagues. However, he could also make an earlier appearance. “I wouldn’t mind getting him in there and getting him a pinch-hit at bat when it makes sense in the Braves series,” Callaway said.RECORD SWIPETurner stole second base in the third to set the Nationals’ career record with 123. The previous steals leader since the club moved to Washington in 2005 was Ian Desmond’s 122 from 2009 to 2015. Turner’s 42 steals this season lead the majors.“I think any time a record is within reach I think it’s always cool to be mentioned along with it or beat one or kind of set your own,” Turner said.UP NEXTMets: New York has Monday off. RHP Noah Syndergaard (12-4, 3.36 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday against Atlanta.Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (9-7, 3.83 ERA), who is 17-7 with a 3.04 ERA in 30 career starts against Miami, gets the nod as Washington opens its final home series of the season Monday against the Marlins.
