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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Third baseman Josh Donaldson sees plenty of similarities between this Oakland team and the one that stunned the Texas Rangers on the seasons final day last fall. Going on a year after the Athletics made their remarkable turnaround and their push to a surprising AL West title, the defending division champions are on a roll again. "Its contagious, winning, you know? Its about confidence," closer Grant Balfour said. "You see a guy get a big hit and the next guy comes up and does his job. Youre going to have your battles some nights, but that little thing, whatever it is to get over the edge and win that ballgame, is what were doing right now. Its been big." The As have had their share of struggles in the first half, too, not so different from all of those Oakland teams of the past that took off after the All-Star break. While Oakland (38-27) dropped the final two games of its seven-game road trip in Chicago, the As have won seven of 10 and 18 of 23. They entered Mondays off day a half-game back in the AL West race behind Texas (37-25). Starting Tuesday night, the As will get another tough home test when the New York Yankees visit the Coliseum for a three-game series. Less than three weeks ago, things didnt look so good. The As returned from a rough 3-7 road trip and lost for the eighth time in 10 games in a 3-1 home defeat to the Rangers on May 22. Oakland then rattled off a five-game winning streak that featured a three-game sweep at Houston and won the first three in a four-game Bay Bridge Series against the 2012 World Series champion San Francisco Giants. Significant progress by the starting pitchers has been a big part of the recent run. "Theres no doubt thats been a key for us," manager Bob Melvin said. "Earlier in the season, the offence was ruling the day, we were scoring a lot of runs and making up for the ERA as a team were not used to looking at. All of a sudden you come into closer games and were giving up some runs earlier in the game and its a little different story." In those tight games, Oakland is showing some of the late-game magic that helped define last years special season, when the As became the first team in major league history to win a division or pennant after trailing by five games with less than 10 to play. Adam Rosales hit a two-out homer in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win over the White Sox in Chicago on Thursday night -- and he had already hit a go-ahead shot leading off the eighth inning of a 2-1 home victory over the Kansas City Royals on May 17. Oakland has 10 wins in games decided in the final at-bat. "This is kind of more of the recipe we did last year," Donaldson said. "We know we have the guys here who can pitch. Early on they kind of got off to a little rough start and the bats were able to pick them up. But lately whats been separating us from the other teams is our pitching by far -- from the starter to every reliever that comes in and Balfour shutting the door. This is something were definitely going to have to do over the course of the year." Not that Balfour is interested in hearing about his run of saves, 15 in as many chances this year and 33 in a row going back to April 29, 2012, at Baltimore. He is the only closer in the American League without a blown save this season. "I dont know, man. Dont ask me," he said. "Dont talk to me about that. I dont talk about me, Ill talk about the team." And this team has shown some serious resilience dating back to last summer. The As -- with the lowest payroll in baseball last year at $59.5 million -- trailed Texas by 13 games on June 30, 2012. With the fourth-lowest payroll on opening day in the majors this season at nearly $65.5 million, Melvins blue-collar bunch is showing that the As arent content with last falls playoff run. With a majors-best 14 walkoff wins in 2012, Oakland went 94-68 to end a five-year playoff drought. As it has for so long with this club, the pitching is setting the tone again. "I think its something where were feeding off each other," Jarrod Parker said. "This team is built around pitching and defence. Its something where were able to keep our team in the game and at any point weve got some big bats and were able to scratch runs across. I think for us to be solid is what we need, not to be spectacular. We know who we are and we dont try to panic or press. For us to just stay within ourselves and do what were capable of and things will happen." Oaklands starting pitchers have allowed one run or fewer in 11 of their last 23 games, going 13-3 during that stretch. "You cant say enough about these guys and the work they put in," catcher Derek Norris said. "Sum it up to Oakland As baseball. This is what we do well -- we have a good starting rotation, scratch a couple runs across and close the door with our bullpen. Thats what we strive to be, and were doing a great job of it." Balfour and his bullpen mates sure enjoy watching the starters, then backing them up in the late innings. In three recent home games against the White Sox, Oakland held Chicago to three total runs with two shutouts. "You couldnt ask for any more than that," Balfour said. "Its awesome to watch." Gus Williams Jersey . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Jack Sikma Jersey . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. https://www.supersonicsjerseys.com/770s-nate-mcmillan-jersey-supersonics.html . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Al Wood Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Tommy Burleson Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. OAKLAND, Calif. --?Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr came to Kevin Durants defense Thursday regarding media coverage over his leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.Kerr, speaking?before the Warriors beat the Thunder 122-96 in Durants first game against his former team, said Durants portrayal in the media has often been unfair.I feel bad for Kevin because even though he hasnt said anything negative, its been portrayed that he said a lot of negative things about Oklahoma City, about Russ, Kerr said of Thunder guard?Russell Westbrook. Its not true. He has said some things that have been construed as negative.Durant was quoted last month at Golden States reception of the ENCORE award at Stanford University saying the Warriors make it about the players, they make it about the environment, so it was really an easy choice.I feel rreally grateful to play for a team like that and play with a bunch of players who are selfless and enjoy the game in its purest form, Durant said then.ddddddddddddKerr said those comments were taken out of context.He said something about, he loves his new teammates, Kerr said. That was somehow construed that he didnt love his old teammates. Its almost like he has to qualify everything he says by making sure he doesnt insinuate anything.Kerr continued, noting that such coverage comes with the territory.Its a tough position to be in, but its all part of it and Kevin understands that, Kerr said. I think hes really happy he made the decision for his own reasons, not anybody elses. And I think hes really happy here. ' ' '