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ARLINGTON, Texas -- The AL West-leading Oakland As arrived in Texas hoping to win the series. They did a whole lot more than that. After their starting pitcher was scratched only an hour before the game, and their top slugger also was taken out of the lineup, the Athletics kept winning. Tommy Milone threw five solid innings and Oakland hit three home runs in a 5-1 win Sunday to complete a three-game sweep of the chasing and slumping Texas Rangers. "I dont know that we could have asked much more than that," manager Bob Melvin said. "Once you win two games, you want to get greedy and we had some things pop up before the game." Even without right-hander Jarrod Parker and Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland took a commanding 6 1/2-game division lead with two weeks left after the final regular-season series between the AL Wests top two teams. The As have won five in a row and 13 of 16 overall. "We came in and won the games," said Josh Donaldson, who hit one of the homers. "Great baseball all the way around for our team." Chris Young and Josh Reddick also homered for Oakland, which finished a 5-1 trip and opens its final homestand of the regular season Monday against the Los Angeles Angels. Texas lost its sixth in a row, all at home and never leading in any of them, and is 2-11 in September after beginning the month with a two-game lead. Coupled with a sweep by Pittsburgh, this was the Rangers first winless homestand of at least six games since moving to Texas in 1972. "Just as quickly as it started, it can turn around. Its got to," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Were in a pretty congested wild-card race right now." The Rangers and Tampa Bay are tied for the two AL wild-card spots in a rapidly tightening race. Cleveland, Baltimore, the Yankees and Kansas City are all within 3 1/2 games of Texas and the Rays. Texas starts a four-game series at Tropicana Field on Monday. "Im not frustrated with the way we played," manager Ron Washington, putting emphasis on how he felt about the Oakland series. "In the first game, we had chances. The second day, we had chances in a 1-0 ball game. ... It wasnt like they came in and dominated and we didnt have chances." Milone (11-9) struck out five and allowed only one run after Parker was scratched because of illness. "Hes pitched once in 14 days and has to go up against the lineup, in this ballpark, and gives us five innings and one run. That was pretty spectacular," Melvin said. The left-hander, recalled Sept. 3 from Class A Stockton for his third stint with the As this season, made his first career relief appearance Wednesday night. Cespedes was batting fourth as the DH in the original As lineup, but didnt play because of right shoulder soreness. Melvin said the slugger would have an MRI on Monday. Coco Crisp and Chris Young had consecutive singles off rookie left-hander Martin Perez (9-5) to start the game. Crisp scored on a nifty double play, when second baseman Ian Kinsler went up the middle and without touching the ball with his hand scooped it with his glove to shortstop Elvis Andrus, who made a barehanded grab and relay throw. Donaldson extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his 23rd homer for a 2-0 lead. Young hit a two-out solo homer in the third, Reddick hit a two-run homer in the ninth. Perez allowed three runs and seven hits over 6 1-3 innings. A.J. Pierzynski had an RBI single in the first, but had an infield popout to end the seventh with two runners on base. That was the third time in four innings the Rangers stranded two runners, including Kinsler taking a called third strike to end the fourth. Milone was 0-4 with a 5.67 ERA his previous five career starts against the Rangers, losing twice earlier this season when allowing 17 hits and 12 runs over nine innings. But he didnt know he was pitching against them again until about an hour before taking the mound. "I think it kind of helped, I didnt really think about it too much," Milone said. "By time I officially heard, it was just get ready and go." NOTES: Melvin said there was a chance Parker could start Monday. Parker is 9-0 in his last 19 starts since a loss at Texas on May 22, the longest winning streak by an Oakland pitcher since Dan Haren won 10 in a row in 2008. The last Athletics pitcher with a longer unbeaten streak was Lefty Groves 21 starts in a row without a loss in 1931. ... The Rangers have gone six games without a home run, their longest drought since six in 1995. It is the first time theyve gone six consecutive games at Rangers Ballpark without homering. The stadium is in its 20th season. Cheap Air Max Trainers . "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub. Nike Air Max Cheap Wholesale . Johan Franzen had two goals and two assists, Gustav Nyquist a goal and three assists and David Legwand a goal and two assists in the Red Wings 7-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. http://www.cheapairmaxforsale.us/ . Casey Janssen was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday due to a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back. Cheap Nike Air Max Outlet . Both moves were announced Tuesday. The Titans had waived Matthews on Saturday when they promoted wide receiver Michael Preston from the practice squad. Nike Air Max Cheap Sale . The weekend at Oriole Park has been less kind, with three players suffering varying degrees of injury. The worst ailment of the three, at least optically, is the deep bone bruise suffered by Adam Lind when he fouled a pitch off the top of his right foot in the sixth inning of Saturdays game.HOUSTON - When Indianapolis raced to a big lead over the Houston Texans in the first quarter, Colts coach Chuck Pagano was worried theyd let up.They did, but that early lead was so big that they were still able to hold on for a 33-28 victory Thursday night.Youre going up and down on the sideline screaming at everybody: Dont take your foot off the gas, Pagano said. Next thing you know, just like that (its close). Its never over in this league.The Colts (4-2) led 24-0 after one quarter, but allowed Houston (3-3) to cut it to 33-28 early in the fourth quarter on J.J. Watts fumble return for a touchdown.You give a team a 24-point lead right out the gate, youre going to have a difficult time, Watt said.The Texans had two opportunities to take the lead late, but the Colts recovered fumbles by Andre Johnson and Ryan Fitzpatrick in the last five minutes.You can finally start to see the type of defence that we envisioned a long time ago to go out there and do that week in and week out, Pagano said.Luck finished with 370 yards passing and three touchdowns for his fourth straight 300-yard passing game and T.Y. Hilton had a career-high 223 yards receiving with a touchdown to give Indy first place in the AFC South.We realized with the recent history of Thursday night games, teams who are going on the road are struggling, and we didnt want to do that, Luck said. We were lucky enough to get off on that fast start. It takes focus, and you almost have to trick yourself into it.The Texans were driving with less than five minutes remaining when Johnson a€” called for pass interference two plays earlier a€” caught a 13-yard pass and fumbled.Watt knocked down Lucks pass on third down on Indys next drive to give Houston one last chance. But Bjoern Werner sacked Fitzpatrick and stripped the ball and DQwell Jackson recovered.I was trying to make a play ... just poor ball security, Fitzpatrick said.Fitzpatrick threw for 212 yards and a touchdown and Arian Foster had 109 yards rushing with two scores for Houston.Indianapolis led by 12 when Luck fumbled and Watt recovered it and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. It was Watts third touchdown this season. He also has scored on an interception return and a reception.Foster had a 34-yard run before Johnson grabbed a 26-yard recepttion to get Houston down to the 2 in the third quarter.dddddddddddd Foster ran wide before cutting back inside and into the end zone untouched on the next play to get the Texans to 27-21.The Texans were within six points in the third quarter when Luck, who was under heavy pressure, threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Hilton. The 2-point conversion failed, leaving Indianapolis up 33-21.After a dreadful first quarter where Houston managed just 2 yards, the Texans offence finally got going in the second quarter. They kicked a field goal on fourth-and-5, but the Colts got a penalty to give Houston a new set of downs.They took advantage of the opportunity when Fitzpatrick found Johnson in the corner of the end zone and he managed to get both feet in bounds for a 4-yard touchdown two plays later to cut the lead to 24-7. It was the first touchdown of the season for Johnson.Houston got the ball back when Jared Crick tipped a pass by Luck that was intercepted by Justin Tuggle.The Texans got to 24-14 when Foster scored on a 12-yard run.The Colts added field goal to make it 27-14.Luck found Hilton on a 40-yard pass early in the first quarter, but Indys offence stalled after that and the Colts settled for a field goal to make it 3-0.Trent Richardson had a 5-yard touchdown run on a two-play drive that included a 49-yard pass to Hilton.The play was originally ruled a touchdown after Hilton recovered from a fall seemingly untouched by defender Kareem Jackson and reached the end zone. The play was reviewed and the call reversed, with Hilton ruled down by contact at the 5.The Colts pushed the lead to 17-0 when Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 5-yard pass from Luck with about seven minutes left in the first quarter.The Texans had to punt again after Fitzpatrick was sacked by Werner for an 8-yard loss on third down after Bradshaws score.Luck capped a long drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Coby Fleener at the end of the first quarter to extend the lead to 24-0.NOTES: Johnson finished with 99 yards receiving to give him 13,080 career yards receiving, making him the 15th player in NFL history to reach 13,000. ... 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