That injury lingered and essentially cost him his first two years in t

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Coco Crisp drove in Kyle Blanks with a two-out single in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Friday night. Josh Donaldson hit a three-run home run, his first in two weeks, to help the As extend their winning streak to four games. Oakland also owns the best record in the majors. Boston reliever Andrew Miller (2-5) hit Blanks and Alberto Callaspo with back-to-back pitches with one out in the eighth. After Nick Punto struck out looking, Crisp lined a 2-2 pitch to right and Blanks easily scored ahead of the throw from Brock Holt. Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 10th save. The As closer also extended his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings, the longest active mark in the AL. Oakland only managed two hits off Boston starter Felix Doubront and had stranded eight runners before Crisp delivered the game-winner. Fernando Abad (2-2) pitched one inning for the win. The As have won the first two of this series after dropping two of three to the Red Sox at Fenway Park last month. Crisp entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and struck out against reliever Burke Badenhop. Both teams squandered multiple scoring opportunities. The Red Sox left two on in the fourth and failed to score after loading the bases in the fifth. The As had two on in the third, fourth and seventh but stranded them each time. Oakland starter Brad Mills struck out the side in the first before Boston loaded the bases with one out in the second following an error by Oakland second baseman Punto. Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run single to drive in Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes. It could have been worse. As centre fielder Craig Gentry made a diving catch on Holts sinking liner, then threw to second to double off Stephen Drew. Boston tied it on David Ortizs RBI single in the third. Mills, acquired in a trade from Milwaukee earlier in the week, had not pitched in the majors since 2012. He walked four and struck out four before leaving after pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. Donaldsons three-run homer off Doubront in the first was his first since June 6. Doubront didnt allow another hit after that but left without a decision. He struck out four and walked four over 4 2-3 innings. NOTES: Oakland C Derek Norris left the game in the sixth after getting hit by a bat on his left forearm during Craig Holts at-bat. ... Craig Gentry reached base in the third inning after getting hit by a pitch. The play had to be reviewed by the umpires before being upheld. ... RHP Clay Buchholz (hyperextended knee) rejoined the big league club after making his second rehab appearance. Manager John Farrell has not set a date for Buchholz to return to the rotation, but it seems likely hell start Wednesday in Seattle. ... Oakland optioned RHP Evan Scribner to Triple-A Sacramento to make room for Mills. ... RHP Jesse Chavez (6-4), who was pushed back a day in the rotation to make room for Mills, pitches on Saturday. ... Boston RHP Rubby De La Rosa (2-2) makes his first career start against the As. Lawrence Taylor Womens Jersey . That assertion is getting harder and harder to make, especially given the way 23-year-old Danilo Gallinari has been playing this season. Carl Banks Jersey . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. http://www.authenticnygiantspro.com/Phil-simms-giants-jersey/ . Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks were proof of that on Wednesday night. Eli Manning Youth Jersey . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. Custom New York Giants Jerseys . - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jason Babin is now a free agent.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Julius Thomas is about to cash in, one way or another.One of Denvers dozen unrestricted free agents, hell either get a long-term contract soon or play next season under the Broncos franchise tag.General manager John Elway said back on Jan. 12 that re-signing both the big tight end and star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas were his top priorities after finding a new coach.I didnt hear about that until now from you, Thomas told The Associated Press. But I think its good thats something they want to do. Obviously, those conversations and negotiations will take place in the next coming weeks. Hopefully it all works out.If not, Thomas will still see a big jump in his pay. He made $645,000 in the final year of his rookie deal.Thomas is a bit of an uncertainty. He has spent 2 1-2 years nursing ankle injuries that rendered his production near nil and 1 1-2 years as a transcendent tight end a la Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham.Thomas stock soared after he rejected Denvers contract offer last summer. He scored a dozen TDs through nine games, becoming the first tight end in league history to post back-to-back 12-touchdown seasons.Gronkowskis record 17 TDs seemed well within reach. So did Grahams record four-year, $40 million contract he signed last summer that made him the leagues highest-paid tight end.Then, Thomas turned his left ankle at St. Louis on Nov. 16 and was never the same. Neither were the Broncos, who went from Super Bowl favourite to one-and-done in the playoffs.Thomas said he has no idea if his stock slipped along with his production: It is what it is. Theres no changing it. So, well just see. And he wouldnt venture a guess as to whether hell still be in a Broncos uniform: I guess well all know shortly.Thomas was one of Denvers league-high 11 Pro Bowlers. But he skipped the annual all-star game for the second consecutive season. Last year, he was preparing for the Super Bowl. He sat this one out to protect his tender ankle — and maybe even his earnings potential.Thomas said he starts training again next month and didnt want to risk any setbackss.ddddddddddddIm going to really get after it to make sure Im ready for OTAs. And I wanted to be able to be healthy then and feeling 100 per cent, so I need to attack this off-season the way I need to, he said. I have goals that I still need to achieve, and the only way to get there is through work.Thomas said his ankle is feeling good, man, getting an opportunity to rest it. Thats the No. 1 way to heal. So, its definitely feeling fine. It just needs a little rest.He said he had a tough time watching the Pro Bowl.It was hard missing an opportunity to compete against the best of the best in the world, Thomas said Monday via phone while promoting the release of the Havoc DLC pack for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in San Francisco.I have to go back so I can finally get out there and play in that Pro Bowl.Thomas has always maintained this latest ankle injury wasnt anywhere near as serious as the one he sustained to his right ankle on his first catch his rookie year. That injury lingered and essentially cost him his first two years in the NFL.There are other unknowns facing Thomas: even if he returns to Denver, he doesnt know who his quarterback will be.With Peyton Manning mulling retirement, Denvers offence could be run by the man whos thrown an NFL record 530 touchdown passes or Brock Osweiler, whos thrown just one.If Manning decides to come back, hell give everything he has because thats the kind of competitor he is and the love he has for this game, Thomas said. And if he decides his time of running around and getting chased by big guys is over, hell have so much to show for it. Hes one of the greatest athletes ever, one of the greatest football players ever. Hell always be in the conversation of whos the best football player of all time.And if its Osweiler running Gary Kubiaks West Coast offence, thats fine with him, too.When it comes to Brock, Im a believer. I have a lot of faith in what he can do, Thomas said. I really believe hes going to do a great job when his number gets called.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '