OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yoenis Cespedes homered twice and tied a career high with five RBIs before leaving with an apparent right thumb injury, and the Oakland Athletics held off the Houston Astros 9-7 on Wednesday night. The two-time reigning Home Run Derby champion hit a three-run drive in the second inning and a two-run shot in the fourth off Brad Peacock (3-7) for his 15th and 16th homers this season. Cespedes snapped a 25-game skid -- matching his career high -- since his last long ball June 19 against Boston. Cespedes was replaced in left field with the As leading 8-1 in the seventh. But the Astros almost pulled off an improbable comeback, scoring five runs in the eighth before the back of Oaklands bullpen shut them down. Jesse Chavez (8-6) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2-3 innings to help the As (62-38) extend the best record in baseball. He struck out seven and walked two. Struggling reliever Jim Johnson gave up four runs -- three earned -- without recording an out to spark Houstons five-run eighth. He left to a smattering of boos again. Luke Gregerson stranded two runners on base in the eighth, and Sean Doolittle recorded his 15th save in 18 tries with a perfect ninth. Chavez, who had not started since July 12 at Seattle before the All-Star break, looked sharp at the outset. He did not allow a hit until Matt Dominguez lined a single to left with one out in the fifth. The As got all the support they needed in just three swings. Jed Lowrie led off Oaklands second with his fifth homer, and Cespedes busted the game open by sending a slider from Peacock over the wall in centre. In the fourth, Cespedes pulled a curveball into the stands in left to put the As up 7-0. It was Cespedes fifth career two-homer game and first since June 4 at the New York Yankees. It also was the third time hes had five RBIs in a game -- all this year. Peacock, who was traded to Houston in February 2013 as part of the deal that landed Lowrie in Oakland, was charged with seven runs and seven hits in 3 2-3 innings. The As built leads of 8-1 and 9-2 but still had a few scares late. Cespedes had his right thumb examined by a team trainer after grounding out on an awkward swing in the fifth. He stayed in the game before Craig Gentry replaced him in left field to start the seventh. First baseman Brandon Moss had his left hand looked at by a trainer after Jose Altuve ran through his tag on a misfired throw, jarring the ball loose, and Johnson -- who signed a $10 million, one-year deal with Oakland after leading the AL with 50 saves for Baltimore last season -- helped turn a runaway game into a tight one. NOTES: Athletics INF Alberto Callaspo (right hamstring) could begin a rehab assignment in the next day or so and come off the disabled list Sunday. ... The Astros placed rookie OF George Springer on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps and recalled outfielder Marc Krauss from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... The As said they raised $29,189 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation during the teams annual Root Beer Float Day, bringing the 15-year total to more than $414,000. ... Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 3.27 ERA) takes the mound for Oakland against Scott Feldman (4-7, 4.30 ERA) and the Astros in Thursdays series finale. Air Max 270 Just Do It Noir . It was the first game back in Columbus for Rangers star Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets franchise leader in goals, assists and games. He was given a standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, but was booed loud and long after a second-period, two-handed shove up high on Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Basket Nike Sb Pas Cher .Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself. http://www.nikejustdoitchaussure.fr/pas-...just-do-it.html. Beckham finished 2 for 4, adding a double in the first inning. Chicago has won eight of 12 to get back to .500 (27-27). The White Sox are 6-3 against Cleveland this season after losing 17 of 19 to their American League Central rival in 2013. Mike Aviles went 1 for 2 with a walk and drove in Clevelands run. Basket Nike Just Do It Femme . - Jesse Shynkaruk scored a hat trick as the Moose Jaw Warriors snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders in Western Hockey League action on Saturday. Basket Air Force One Femme Pas Cher . -- The Denver Broncos locked up a shutdown cornerback, only his name wasnt Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.DETROIT -- Japans Tatsuki Machida won the Skate America short program Friday night, outpacing Americans Jason Brown and Adam Rippon at Joe Louis Arena. Machida scored 91.18 points to open the mens competition in the first ISU Grand Prix event of the season. Brown was second at 83.78, and Rippon third at 80.26. Six of eight skaters fell on quad jump attempts in the mistake-filled session. Only Brown and Machida were able to execute their short programs without a serious error. Falls felled favourites such as 2010 world champion Daisuke Takahashi and defending Skate America winner Takahiko Kozuka. "I was quite happy to skate a program without major mistakes," Machida said through a translator. "I know there are many Japanese skaters with higher reputations than I have up to this present point. I am in the furthest position from being a favourite for the Olympic team. We only have three spots. It is going to be a very tough fight, but I have the determination." In ice dance, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White easily won the short competition that featured the foxtrot and quickstep. They outclassed the field with their speed and technical precision, scoring 75.70 points. Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy were second at 69.88, and the American brother-sister team of Maia and Alex Shibutani followed at 61.26. The mens long program and ice dance free skate will be Saturday. Skate America marked Browns senior-level Grand Prix debut. He made quite a thematic statement, skating to Princes "The Question of U" and wearing a black, purple and silver-sequined outfit. Brown skated cleanly, showing showmanship, strong spins, and a good connection to the guitar-driven rock song. Brown was the only competitor in the field who does not attempt a quad, but did achieve strong height on his triple axel and triple flip-triple toe combinations. "My main goal was to get experience, and grow," Brown said. "Im really excited, a little bit shocked. I am so excited for the long (program)." Rippon wasnt sure if hed be able compete in the short program, after breaking his boot during Thursdays practice session. He had the boot repaired, and managed to post a personal-best score. His only mistake was touching down his right hand for balance, after an awkward landing on his opening quad lutz attempt. Rippon recovered his composure, powering through his triple axxel and triple flip-triple toe loop combo cleanly and with notable height.dddddddddddd Rippon was clearly pleased with his skate, to a suite of strings and drums music from "Carmen," happily pumping his fists at the conclusion. "My main goal was to go out there for the quad lutz and give it a good attempt," Rippon said. "I was a little hesitant out there throughout, but I tried not to show it. I love my short program, but I am even more comfortable with my long." The rest of the Skate America field suffered spills and disappointment. American Max Aaron fell on his first jumping pass, 22 seconds into his up-tempo program. He landed cross-footed on his quad salchow attempt, sealing his score to 75.91 and sixth place. Artur Gachinski of Russia upped the ante on mistakes, falling twice on his jumping passes. He fell hard on the landing of his opening quad toe loop, failing to complete the planned triple toe loop of the combination. Gachinski went down again on his next try, falling to his hands and knees. He was last at 69.81. The quad toe also felled Alexander Majorov of Sweden, as he destroyed the landing on his opening sequence. He scored 74.97 to land in seventh. Kozuka tripped during his triple lutz-triple toe sequence, as he stepped out of the lutz landing and failed to complete the combination. He had strong height on his other jumps, putting him in fourth place with 77.75. Takahashis subpar skate was a surprise. He under-rotated his opening quad toeloop, and fell. The tone was set, and Takahashis characteristic verve seemed sapped. He was fifth at 77.09. There are three notable omissions from the Skate America mens field, due to withdrawals. Missing were 2007 world champion Brian Joubert of France, rising star Denis Ten of Kazakhstan, and 2010 Vancouver Olympic gold medallist Evan Lysacek of the U.S. Ten, who finished second at the 2013 world championships, likely would have been the strongest contender of the three at Skate America. He has emerged as one of the top skaters in the world over the past year, buoyed by his evocative artistry. Skate America is a missed opportunity for Lysacek, who at 28, is in major comebac