to your body," Davis said. "Its supposed to speed up the

MINNEAPOLIS -- With Josh Reddick back and hitting home runs, the Oakland Athletics are bringing some more muscle and a bigger lead into a crucial weekend series. Reddick homered and had three RBIs, A.J. Griffin allowed just two hits in seven innings, and the As beat the Minnesota Twins 8-2 Thursday afternoon to increase their division lead to 3 1/2 games over idle Texas in the American League West. It is Oaklands largest lead over the Rangers since Aug. 3. The teams are to scheduled play a three-game series this weekend in the Lone Star State. "We know its an important series, but were not going to sweat about it," Reddick said. "We know we can beat those guys." Reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday after missing time with a sprained right wrist, Reddick hit an eighth-inning pitch from Brian Duensing into the right field seats for an 8-1 Oakland lead. It was his 11th homer of the season in his 99th game. He hit 32 in 156 games last year. "Being able to hit it hard ... without my wrist hurting really felt good," said Reddick, who was also on the disabled list May 7-30 with the same injury. "Watching these guys the last two weeks it kind of stung not being able to be a part of it, but I was just hoping to come back and just jump on board and not screw up the rhythm. Hopefully, more days like this are coming." Adding Reddick to a lineup that already has 26 home runs from Brandon Moss, 22 from Yoenis Cespedes, 21 from Josh Donaldson and 19 from Coco Crisp makes things much easier for manager Bob Melvin. "Weve got a lot of options right now, a lot of guys that are heating up offensively," Melvin said. In winning his fourth straight start, Griffin (14-9) struck out eight and walked just one batter. "I was working well, I was working quick, I had a good rhythm," he said. Griffin struck out six of the first nine batters he faced, including four straight, and lowered his opponents batting average to .165 the first time through the lineup, the lowest mark in the majors among pitchers with at least 130 innings pitched. Other than allowing Oswaldo Arcias home run in the seventh, Griffin, who has served up a major league leading 34 home runs, didnt have many problems the rest of the way. "I feel like I can throw any pitch in any count and throw them effectively. Its a lot more fun when thats going on," Griffin said. Minnesota had two runners on with one out in the fourth, but Arcia lined out to second baseman Alberto Callaspo and Brian Dozier was doubled off first. Dozier had walked. Making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester, Minnesota starter Scott Diamond (5-11) lasted just 4 2-3 innings. He allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits while striking out one. Before the game, Gardenhire said that Diamond appears to be a much more confident pitcher than he was before his Aug. 1 demotion. In six minor league starts, Diamond was 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA. The left-hander barely broke a sweat in retiring the As in order in the first two innings before the Oakland hitters forced Diamond deep into counts. "I wasnt able to put anybody away. I think that was the story behind my game today," he said. One day after scoring 18 runs against the Twins, Oakland used some two-out hitting to take a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Derek Norris led off with a one-out double and scored two batters later when Crisp hit into a fielders choice. After a walk to Donaldson, Jed Lowrie had an RBI single leading to a mound visit by Minnesota pitching coach Rick Anderson. Cespedes then tripled off the wall in centerfield to plate two more runs. Donaldson added an RBI single in the fifth and Reddicks sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Chris Young, who tripled to lead off the inning, to make it 6-0. NOTES: Gardenhire said C Joe Mauer, out since Aug. 20 with a concussion, did a workout Thursday and left the ballpark "feeling good." ... The As and Twins are scheduled to play a four-game series in Oakland starting next Thursday. ... Cespedes has driven in a run in a career-best six straight games. ... Dan Straily (9-7, 4.15) is to get the ball for Oakland Friday when it begins its three-game series at Texas. Derek Holland (9-8, 3.17) will pitch for the Rangers. ... Minnesotas Kevin Correia (9-11, 4.30) is scheduled to face Tampa Bays Chris Archer (8-7, 3.19) when the teams open a three-game series Friday at Target Field. Joe Thornton Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released veteran guard Davin Joseph, a mainstay on their offensive line over the past eight seasons. Erik Karlsson Jersey . -- Those impatient for the Stanley Cup to return to Canada will have just one team to root for in the NHL playoffs -- the Montreal Canadiens. http://www.sharkssale.com/authentic-evan...-sharks-jersey/. It was the most lopsided loss in Lakers history. Darren Collison had a team-high 24 points while starting at shooting guard for the injured Jamal Crawford. Chris Paul added 13 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who apparently are trying to make up for decades of humiliation at the hands of the Lakers all in one season; theyve won the last two meetings by a combined 84 points. Brent Burns Jersey . -- Ben Brust scored 19 points to lead six Wisconsin players in double figures as the No. San Jose Sharks Jerseys . Kuper, a fifth-round pick in Denvers 2006 draft, started 79 games at guard over eight seasons. He dislocated his left ankle in the last game of the 2011 regular season, and though he started another seven games after that, he never returned to his previous level.BALTIMORE -- Left-handed reliever Troy Patton returned from his 25-game suspension Thursday, part of a roster shuffle by the Baltimore Orioles that included the activation of Manny Machado from the 15-day disabled list. Patton was placed on the restricted list testing positive for a banned amphetamine. Patton took Adderall, a drug commonly used to combat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, late in the 2013 season and then was given a random drug test. The suspension cost him $174,180 of his $1,275,000 salary. Patton went 2-0 with a 3.70 ERA in a career-high 56 appearances for the Orioles last year. He made four rehab appearances with Triple-A Norfolk. To make room for Patton, the Orioles sent reliever Josh Stinson outright to Norfolk. Machado hadnt played since left knee surgery on Oct. 14. The third baseman was not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh on Thursday, but manager Buck Showalter said Machado would start in the nightcap. Machado was poised to return Tuesday, but rain postponed Baltimores game against the Pirates. The same thing happened Wednesday, creating the need for a single-admission doubleheader. "Manny wasnt going to play 18 innings first day back from rehab," Showalter said. "We could have waited to activate him, but we would use him in the first game if the right situation presented itself." The 21-year-oldd Machado takes the roster spot vacated by first baseman Chris Davis, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained left oblique.dddddddddddd Davis had a platelet rich plasma injection on Monday. "What they do is they draw your own blood and spin it, then they take the platelets and inject them back into your body," Davis said. "Its supposed to speed up the healing process and take the place of a cortisone shot." Davis believes the treatment was having the desired effect. "I had (the shot) on Monday. It was pretty painful," he said. "Tuesday I was sore and Wednesday I was sore. Today I feel better. Hopefully I am recovering and it will heal." Davis led the majors last year with 53 homers and 138 RBIs. Hes gotten off to a slow start this season -- he has only two home runs -- but hopes to return soon to add to the total. "I got off to my hottest start ever last year so there was a lot of excitement," he said. "I knew it was probably not going to happen again. But I felt like I was getting good at-bats and making things happen." Also Thursday, the Orioles optioned infielder Steve Lombardozzi to Norfolk to make room for first baseman Steve Pearce, who was signed to a major league contract Tuesday after being designated for assignment last week. Lombardozzi batted .292 in 19 games this season. ' ' '