NEWS » it was a big two points against

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Getting the chance to play first base for the first time, Tim Beckham figured he might as well hit like a slugging first baseman instead of a middle infielder.Beckham made the most of his emergency position switch by hitting a homer and sparking a four-run inning with his eighth straight hit over three games to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night.Thats not an easy thing, manager Kevin Cash said. Thats uncomfortable to go play somewhere in a big league ballgame. You can imagine theres probably some nerves and anxiety.With Logan Morrison sidelined by an injured right forearm and Steve Pearce needing a day off, Beckham was Tampa Bays best option to play first despite never having played the position.He took infield before the game and got some quick lessons from bench coach Tom Foley before taking the field with one of Pearces gloves.I just told myself I trust in my ability, Beckham said. Just trust in my ability and be comfortable over there. It helped out.While he played error-free defense and made a nice play on a forceout in the ninth, it was his bat that did the biggest damage.He followed up a five-hit game in Colorado on Wednesday by hitting a solo homer in the second against Sonny Gray (4-9) and then adding a leadoff single in the big fifth inning that gave Tampa Bay the lead for good.Beckham, who started the streak with a single in his final at-bat Monday, was finally retired when he popped out to end the sixth but by then he had done his damage. His eight hits in eight at-bats -- he walked in his other plate appearance -- were one more hit than he had in 41 at-bats in all of June.Corey Dickerson homered and drove in three runs, and Logan Forsythe, Brad Miller and Evan Longoria added RBI hits in the fifth inning to back a solid start by Matt Moore (6-7).Moore allowed a three-run homer to Jake Smolinski in the second but nothing else in seven innings to earn his first win in eight road starts this season.I think that kind of woke me up, Moore said of the homer. It was early in the game. We were just trying to set the tone by throwing strikes, pounding the zone early.Alex Colome got three outs for his 21st save in as many chances to give the Rays their first three game winning streak since June 12-15. Tampa Bay has won four of five following a 3-24 stretch that was the worst in franchise history.Gray, who snapped a seven-game losing streak last Saturday against Toronto, was unable to build on that success. He allowed seven runs and nine hits in five innings.That game kind of went how my years been, giving up the home run then having the big inning, Gray said. I thought at the start of the fifth inning I made some pretty good pitches, and suddenly its first and second with nobody out and then it didnt go well from there.TRAINERS ROOMRays: Morrison got an injection in his injured forearm and is expected to be fine in a day or two.Athletics: LHP Rich Hill (blister) played catch before the game with protection on his middle finger. He is still not ready to throw curveballs or pitch off the mound. ... RHP Zach Neal was recalled from Triple-A Nashville and LHP Patrick Schuster was optioned to Nashville.TRADE TALKAs RF Josh Reddick said hes tuning out any talk about a possible trade before the Aug. 1 deadline, saying the game is hard enough without worrying about things out of his control. But Reddick did say he is upset there hasnt been more progress on a long-term deal to keep him in Oakland past this season.Its kind of disheartening to know something hasnt been worked out so far, and weve been four months into it, he said.UP NEXTRays: Jake Odorizzi (4-5) snapped a six-start winless streak last Sunday against Baltimore when he allowed two runs in six innings for his first win since June 8.Athletics: Sean Manaea (3-5) faces the Rays for the first time in his career in the second game of the series.Balenciaga Shoes Sale . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Cheap Balenciaga .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. https://www.fakebalenciaga.com/ . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Fake Balenciaga For Sale . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Fake Balenciaga From China . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark".NEW YORK -- Rick Nash came up big in the third period for the New York Rangers.Nash tied the score with a highlight-reel goal in the opening minute of the third and then set up Jimmy Veseys winner later in the period to rally the Rangers from two goals down for a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.After cutting a 2-0 first-period deficit in half in the second, Nash tied it 24 seconds into the third as he raced up ice, breezed past two Hurricanes defenders and stuck a backhander off the crossbar and in to tie it.Then, with 5:12 remaining in regulation and the Rangers on a power play, Nash slipped the puck under Carolina goalie Cam Ward across the front of the goal to Vesey, and the rookie forward converted with the go-ahead score.I think when youre a leader and youre expected to be one of the top players, you try to do that every night, Nash said. Some nights its there, some nights its not. . But I know thats part of my game, that I have to help these guys and lift them when things arent going right.Veseys goal was his eighth of the season and first since Nov. 12.Nick Holden also scored and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 19 shots to help the Rangers snap a four-game skid at home (0-3-1).Viktor Stalberg scored twice in the first period in his return to New York for the first time since leaving the Rangers to sign with Carolina in the offseason. Cam Ward finished with 25 saves as the Hurricanes lost for the third time in four games.For two periods we were by far the better team and didnt allow much of anything aside from the one goal and a couple other chances on the break, Stalberg said. Other than that, they didnt have any zone time. We were putting pressure on them every single shift. Frustrating ending here.On the tiebreaking goal, the Rangers had the man-advantage because Hurricanes defenseman Ron Hainsey was serving a double-minor for hooking and unsportsmanlike conduct. Vesey converted 95 seconds into the four-minute power play.Youre going to get calls and youre going to get calls against you, Stalberg continued. It is what it is. Were not happy about it, but we should find a way to kill it off.Stalberg got the Blue Jackets on the scoreboard 5:22 into the first period as he fired a wrist shot between Lundqvists legs.Stallberg made it 2-0 with 7:05 left in the period.ddddddddddddAfter Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein turned the puck over, Jay McClement shot the loose puck toward the net and Stalberg knocked in the rebound for his sixth of the season and fourth in five games.Holden cut the deficit in half at 9:13 of the second as he elevated a wrist shot over Wards outstretched arm for his third of the season. Holden has three goals and seven assists in the last 16 games.We didnt start off the game the way we wanted, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said after his 270th game with the team, passing Colin Campbell for sole possession of ninth place on the franchises all-time list. You get behind the 8-ball against a hardworking team that can check real well, you need some people to come out and take charge.In recent games, the Rangers have struggled to play with the speed and skill that propelled them to the top of the standings through the first quarter of the season. However, that changed in the second period.I think the second period we started to get things going, playing with speed and getting possession, holding on to pucks down low in their end, Vesey said. We got the first one and they mightve tightened up. We talked about it before the game, but it was a big two points against an Eastern Conference team.The Rangers have won 12 straight games against the Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden and are 20-3-0 against Carolina since Feb. 22, 2011.Game notesThe Rangers granted a Make-A-Dream Come True experience for 11-year-old Bryce Rogerson from New York Presbyterian and Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley. Bryce had the opportunity to be an honorary Rangers Coach for a day. ... D Adam Clendening and F Josh Jooris were healthy scratches for New York. ... F Mika Zibanejad missed his fifth game with a broken left fibula. ... On Monday, the Hurricanes placed Jordan Staal (concussion) on injured reserve. ... Carolina scratched D Klas Dahlbeck, D Ryan Murray and F Brock McGinn.UP NEXTHurricanes: At Boston on Thursday night before returning to Madison Square Garden on Saturday in the finale of a three-game trip.Rangers: At Buffalo on Thursday night. ' ' '