NEWS » ered-down version of the bill: Renee Ellmer

HOUSTON -- The Oakland Athletics werent concerned when they were down by two runs entering the seventh inning on Wednesday against the Houston Astros. They hit three homers after the seventh inning in the first two games of the series combined and saw no reason their late flashes of power would stop in this one. Coco Crisp hit a two-run homer in Oaklands three-run seventh inning to help the Athletics to a 4-3 win over the Astros on Wednesday. "What it does is it gives us the confidence that we can come back," manager Bob Melvin said of the late homers. "And then we know that when we get a guy on base were one hit away from being in a better position than we were." The As trailed by two before an RBI double by Eric Sogard with one out cut the deficit to 3-2 and chased starter Bud Norris. Crisp launched his home run off Travis Blackley (1-1) to the Crawford Boxes in left field to put Oakland on top. "I dont think we rely on home runs, we just got up there and battle," Crisp said. "It just so happens thats how this series broke down. We just go out there and battle and try to manufacture runs in any way that we can." Blackley was disappointed that he didnt execute against Crisp. "I just didnt do my job," he said. "I got ahead like I was trying to do and I just left one about three inches too high and he did his job well and took care of it." John Jaso had a solo homer in the first inning for the As, who have won 11 of 12 against Houston this season. It was the 21st win for Oakland in a one-run game which is the most in the American League. A.J. Griffin (9-7) allowed six hits and three runs and tied a season-high with eight strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings for the win. "I felt like I had the best stuff Ive had this year," he said. "My lanes were good to the plate with all my pitches. I felt like I was doing a good job of keeping my delivery the same for every pitch and keeping them off-balance for the most part. That was the most locked in Ive felt in a long time, pretty much all year." He continued to be plagued by the long ball though, giving up two more on Wednesday to give him 23 this season which is tied for second-most in the majors. He joked about adding to his home run total. "Thats pretty me, I guess," he said. Jose Altuve tied it at 1 with a homer in the fourth inning and Carlos Corporans two-run homer gave Houston a 3-1 lead in the sixth. Norris yielded four hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings. It could be the last start for Norris as an Astro at Minute Maid Park with the trade deadline approaching and Houston embarking on a 10-game road trip. As the highest paid player on this rebuilding team with a $3 million salary, Norris, who has spent his entire career with the Astros, has been the subject of trade speculation. "Its something that I prepared myself for last night and the days leading up to it," Norris said. "So it definitely was a little emotional and the fans really knew about it too which was pretty special. I just went out there and threw a good ball game as best I could and gave my team a chance to win. Unfortunately it was a tough one." Norris pitched better than he had in his last two tough starts where he allowed 17 hits and 13 runs combined in two losses. The Astros had a chance to tie it in the eighth inning with runners at first and second and one out. But Jesse Chavez retired Corporan before Ryan Cook came in and got Brett Wallace on a flyout to end the threat. Cook remained in for the ninth and got his second save. Jasos homer to with one out in the first inning gave Oakland a 1-0 lead. Norris got right back on track after that and struck out Josh Donaldson and Jed Lowrie to end the inning. Griffin didnt allow a hit until Marc Krauss singled with two outs in the third inning. Altuve opened Houstons fourth with his fourth home run of the season to tie it. Jason Castro hit a double with one-out in the sixth before Corporans two-out shot to the seats in right field put Houston up 3-1. Norris had retired seven in a row before Jaso walked to start the sixth inning. Norris then plunked Josh Donaldson, but he escaped the jam by sitting down the next three batters, ending the inning by striking out Brandon Moss. Yoenis Cespedes was back in the lineup after not starting five games because of a sore left wrist and hit a single in the second inning. The Home Run Derby champ made his first appearance since the All-Star break as a pinch-hitter on Tuesday night. NOTES: Jaso was replaced at catcher by Derek Norris for the eighth inning after taking a ball off his mask. He had a headache and Melvin said he would be monitored for possible symptoms of a concussion. ... Oakland selected INF Adam Rosales from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday and designated INF Vinnie Catricala for assignment. ... Oaklands Dan Straily (6-3) is scheduled to pitch against Los Angeles left-hander C.J. Wilson (10-6) when the As open a four-game series with the Angels. Swell Water Bottle Sale .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Swell Water Bottle Wholesale . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. http://www.swellwaterbottlesale.com/Swell-Traveler-Bottle-Sale/ . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Swell Bottles Sale . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. Swell Bottles Wholesale . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. The NCAA and ACC have both sent a strong message to North Carolina, pulling championship games from the state because of HB2, the controversial law that blocks transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice in government buildings, schools and universities. North Carolinas GOP responded in turn with a statement thats as tone-deaf as it is offensive and desperate.This is so absurd its almost comical, North Carolina Republican Party spokeswoman Kami Mueller said in a statement Monday. I genuinely look forward to the NCAA merging all mens and womens teams together as singular, unified, unisex teams. Under the NCAAs logic, colleges should make cheerleaders and football players share bathrooms, showers and hotel rooms. This decision is an assault to female athletes across the nation. If you are unwilling to have womens bathrooms and locker rooms, how do you have a womens team?This is truly the hottest take Ive ever seen on the slippery slope argument long used to deny LGBT rights -- how, exactly, do you get from unisex bathrooms to unisex teams? But thats not even the most cynical part of the North Carolina GOPs response: I wish the NCAA was this concerned about the women who were raped at Baylor, Mueller continued.The NCAA deserves criticism for failing to protect sexual assault victims across the country. Violence against women is rampant on college campuses, particularly in sports, and victims have long been silenced as their athlete attackers continue to thrive under the protective netting of college sports. (The NCAA pointed to the resources it provides student-athletes on preventing sexual assault and violence, and the North Carolina GOP didnt respond to a request for comment).But its extremely problematic to use the sexual assault cases?at Baylor as a singular barometer for moral comparison. First of all, the NCAA is a wide-ranging organization that can and should have the ability to address more than one issue at once. It doesnt need to choose between preventing violence and fighting discrimination.Moreover, playing the Baylor card effectively gives a pass to any lesser offenses. There are plenty of issuues that dont reach the level of problems?at Baylor.dddddddddddd Just because the system failed in Waco, Texas, doesnt mean we should stop trying to make it work elsewhere.I, and countless other sexual assault survivors, would implore the North Carolina GOP not to co-opt our movement for victims rights in order to deny the rights of transgender citizens, many of whom are victims of violence as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the LGBT community experiences sexual violence at rates higher than heterosexuals. Human Rights Campaign estimates that nearly half of transgender people will experience sexual violence in their lifetime.In addition to ignoring the plight of sexual assault in the transgender community, the North Carolina GOPs statement is blatantly disingenuous, given the partys history of denying legal protections for assault victims. In 2012, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr was one of 31 Republicans who voted against the Violence Against Women Act. In 2013, seven representatives from North Carolina voted against a watered-down version of the bill: Renee Ellmers, Walter Jones, Virginia Foxx, Richard Hudson, Robert Pittenger, Mark Meadows and George Holding. And to take it a step further, Jones was one of nine Republican congressmen who voted against a resolution to allow the House to consider any version of the bill at all.North Carolina Republicans are invoking sexual assault victims in order to further an agenda of sexual discrimination. For as loud as its statement against the NCAA sounded, the party has been noticeably silent on sexual assault cases involving players in its home state, most recently the allegations against UNC linebacker Allen Artis.Violence against women is not an appropriate political device, especially when the politicians involved have voting records that clearly reflect an utter disregard for the issue and its victims. The sports world is continually struggling to get it right on sexual violence. Using it as a smokescreen isnt the answer. ' ' '