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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. Jack Youngblood Youth Jersey .C. -- Lucy Li made two double bogeys, a triple bogey and finished her historic round at the U. Marshall Faulk Rams Jersey . -- The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three goals in 33 seconds of the second period en route to defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-1 in American Hockey League action on Friday. http://www.footballramsshop.us/authentic-todd-gurley-rams-jersey/ . -- A deflected pass that landed in DeSean Jacksons hands. Eric Dickerson Youth Jersey . Goergl, the 2011 world champion, started 28th after the other top contenders had already gone down but had the fastest time at each interval. Goergl finished the demanding 3-kilometre Kaelberloch course in 1 minute, 47. Clay Matthews Youth Jersey . Tepesch, back from the minor leagues, earned his first major league victory in more than 10 months and the Rangers edged the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Wednesday.GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Raymond Felton is determined to keep personal turmoil from affecting what was already his most trying season professionally. A day after his arrest on felony weapons charges, Felton returned to practice with the New York Knicks on Wednesday, saying that was "not a distraction" to the team. Felton spoke for less than a minute and did not take questions. He thanked family, friends and teammates for their support and insisted his thoughts were on the Knicks game Thursday night in Miami. "This is not a distraction to this team," he said. "Im focusing on finishing out this season, finishing out these games with my teammates and going down to Miami, focusing on this next game at task versus the defending champs." The Knicks are barely hanging on in the playoff race and Feltons struggles have been among their biggest problems. Slowed by nagging leg injuries early, hes averaging a career-worst 10.4 points on 40.3 per cent shooting for a team with a 21-36 record. Hes also dealing with the breakup of his marriage, and he was arrested early Tuesday after authorities said a lawyer for his wife turned into a police precinct a loaded semi-automatic handgun allegedly belonging to the point guard, claiming she no longer wanted it in their home. Felton was released on $25,000 bail, and his next court appearance is scheduled for June 2. Knicks coach Mike Woodson said he never considered not letting Felton play against the Heat. "The bottom line is Ray is a part of our team, and as his coach Im going to support him and make sure hes doing everything the right way from here on out, and to try to get him to just concentrate on basketball and practice and playing games," Woodson said. Felton was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and criminal possession of a firearm. The firearm charge is punishable by up to four years in prison. The weapons charge is punishable by up to seven years in prison. He had turned himself into police not long after a 110-108 loss to Dallas dropped the Knicks farther back in the playoff race. His wife, Ariane Raymondo-Felton, filed for divorce last week, according to court records, and Felton acknowledged recently dealing with personal problems. He said he wouldnt comment on the case, referring any qquestions to his lawyer.dddddddddddd "But other than that, Im here to concentrate on this team, finish this season out with the New York Knicks and see what happens, man," Felton said. "Trying to make it to the playoffs. Were 5 1/2 games out, 25 games left, so Im really focusing on that with these guys, with the team and trying to make that happen." Felton was playing well in his first stint in New York before he was traded to Denver in the middle of the 2010-11 season as part of the package for Carmelo Anthony. He had a dismal 2011-12 season for Portland, admitting he reported out of shape because he wasnt sure if, or when, the lockout might end. Yet the Knicks surprisingly re-signed him that summer, a move that paved the way for them to let Jeremy Lin leave as a free agent. Felton rebounded with a strong performance last season in helping the Knicks to their first Atlantic Division title since 1994, but neither he nor the team has been able to build on that. Felton has played better lately, and centre Tyson Chandler said he was focused at practice Wednesday. "He seemed like he was no different," Chandler said. Felton still could face punishment from the NBA, though likely not until the legal process has been completed. He is set to earn $3.8 million next season and has a player option that would pay him $4 million in 2015-16, and any attempt by the Knicks to void his contract would be met with a strong challenge from the players association. For now, Felton and the Knicks are just trying to salvage the season. "My job is to continue to coach and try to get guys to do the right thing on and off the basketball floor. I take pride in that, so when things creep in like this, its a surprise, but again weve got to get through it," Woodson said. "Again, I dont know the legal part, the severity of it. All I know is Raymond is still with us and Im on Raymonds side in terms of trying to make sure that hes doing the necessary things to play basketball and Im going to continue to do that." Notes: The Knicks plan to sign veterans Shannon Brown and Earl Clark to 10-day contracts Thursday and have them available to play against the Heat. ... Anthony missed practice for personal reasons but will be with the team in Miami. ' ' '