a young kid in a baseball hat smiling. He looked like he was a

HOUSTON -- Astros manager A.J. Hinch joked that his teams improbable 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday was premeditated.We had it all mapped out that way, Hinch said. We were going to get multiple triples and a wild pitch strikeout. Exactly how we drew it up for the sweep.Evan Gattis hit an RBI single to cap a three-run rally in the eighth inning keyed by a wild pitch on a strikeout.Reliever Liam Hendriks (0-3) got two quick outs in the eighth before George Springer tripled. Alex Bregman then struck out, but the ball got away on a wild pitch.Catcher Bruce Maxwell chased it to the backstop and made a desperation throw to first, but Bregman was safe by a step and Springer scored.Jose Altuve tripled home the tying run and Gattis singled for the lead.Every win is big, but this one was big for us, Altuve said. It keeps our momentum going. Were really playing really good ball. Weve got to keep going.The Astros began the day two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild-card slot. Houston swept the three-game series and next opens a three-game set at AL West-leading Texas.As starter Ross Detwiler gave up three hits and left after the seventh with a 3-1 lead.Michael Feliz (8-1) pitched a scoreless eighth. Ken Giles closed for his seventh save.My teammates pulled through and never gave up throughout the game, Giles said. Its fun to watch them battle every inning and learning from every at-bat. Its one special thing to watch.The Athletics have lost 12 of their last 18 games.Detwiler had given up 14 runs and 23 hits in his previous three starts. He shut down Houston, striking out seven. Carlos Correa hit an RBI double for the only run off Detwiler.He had good stuff today, man, Gattis said. He pitched in today well and had a good changeup. We just couldnt get anything going with him.The As got all three of their runs in the second off Mike Fiers. Jake Smolinski hit a two-run triple and Bruce Maxwell had a sacrifice fly.Fiers gave up eight hits and three runs -- one earned -- in five innings. After he was gone, the Astros rallied.Thats how this team is. We dont stop, we battle, Fiers said. No one takes their at-bats off, no one takes pitches off, and we just find ways to win. Its always fun watching this team, and it should be good going forward.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: LHP Sean Manaea (sore back) will miss his next scheduled start on Sunday. He left his start last Monday vs. Houston in the fourth inning. Kendall Graveman, who allowed three runs in seven innings in a loss to the Astros on Tuesday night, will start in place of Manaea.Astros: INF Marwin Gonzalez left with discomfort in his right hamstring. In the bottom of the fifth, he hit a flyball onto Tals Hill in deep center field and started limping after rounding first. He was replaced by A.J. Reed in the top of the sixth. Gonzalez missed several games four weeks ago with right hamstring soreness.UP NEXTAthletics: RHP Andrew Triggs (1-1, 4.39 ERA) takes the mound against Boston on Friday. Triggs picked up his first career win in his last start, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out eight in six innings pitched against St. Louis.Astros: RHP Doug Fister (12-9, 3.60 ERA) starts against Texas on Friday, replacing Dallas Keuchel, Hinch announced after Wednesdays game. Fister has alternated wins and losses in his last four starts since allowing nine hits and one run in six innings in a 3-2 loss to Texas on Aug. 6.KEUCHEL TO GET EXTENDED RESTAstros LHP Dallas Keuchel was originally slated to start on Friday when the Astros open up a three-game series at Texas, but RHP Doug Fister will start in his place, Hinch said. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner had a rebound month in August, going 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA, but cited lingering soreness as a reason for pushing his start back. The Astros starters for Saturday and Sunday are to be announced.Its nothing major. Just a little more rest than usual, Keuchel said. Ive been a little more sore than usual, and with the off day, we can keep the rotation the same so it really works out better than I had hoped.DOG DAYS?The Astros finished the month of August with a 16-13 record, the clubs best August since 2010 when the team went 17-12. The Astros closed out the month by going 10-2, including a 5-1 homestand.Wholesale Chargers Jerseys China . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Philip Rivers Jersey . On Mar. 16, coming off a "fight of the year" performance at UFC 154 the previous November, St-Pierre faced Nick Diaz at UFC 158 in what would be his eighth defence of the welterweight title. Using his superior athleticism, St-Pierre cruised to a five round, unanimous decision victory setting up a much-anticipated title defence against number one contender Johny Hendricks. http://www.cheapchargersjerseysauthentic.com/ .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Kellen Winslow Jersey . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Junior Seau Jersey . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak.Have you heard of Buccis Overtime Challenge? Well, this is Buccis Hat Trick Challenge. Whats the challenge part? Regularly coming up with three hits about the World Cup of Hockey. Sundays game features Team Europe versus Team?Sweden?(1 p.m. ET, ESPN and on WatchESPN).1. Crosby is all the rage again:?Its easy to forget that just a few years ago we werent sure what was to become of Sidney Crosby. His neck and head injuries were robbing him of seasons in his prime, and his team had made no real postseason impact since 2009. The Penguins were bounced in the second round of the playoffs in 2014 and in the first round in 2015, and Crosby -- who had played with such rage and emotion early in his career -- seemed to lack an edge.I was an intense athlete as a young adult and I always enjoy watching those athletes who compete in a similar manner. Early last season Crosby stopped producing like he always had. One coach firing, two trades and a couple of AHL call-ups later, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, Crosby won the Conn Smythe and now hes on another career roll. He will soon add a World Cup and a World Cup MVP to his résumé. I miss the days of his demonstrative, rage-filled play. There is not enough of that for me in the NHL. But what a year -- and what a résumé -- he is building.2. Marchand of the Penguins??So?Brad Marchand is a free agent next July 1. And while he has a gem of an on-ice running mate in Boston in?Patrice Bergeron, its been kind of fun playing with Crosby at the World Cup, I imagine. I mean, if anything, it gives Marchand leverage to get eight years from the?Bostton Bruins.dddddddddddd Marchands price keeps going up.3. Waiting for?Gaudreau:?Wednesday night, I sauntered over to the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. It has a cool bar thats dark and warm. I had stayed there while working the NBA playoff series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors this past spring. As I twirled through the revolving doors, I noticed a young kid in a baseball hat smiling. He looked like he was anywhere between the ages of 16 and 19, and I thought maybe he was an American who watches SportsCenter in America and happened to be in town for the World Cup.As I got closer and was about to say hi to what I assumed was an ESPN viewer, I then realized it was Johnny Gaudreau. The?Calgary Flames?winger (whos 23)?looks young even without a hat, but like many men his age, he looks even younger while wearing one. (Tiger Woods at 30 looked 20 in a hat and 40 without one.) The 5-foot-9 Gaudreau looked like a Backstreet Boy with his hat on.We talked a bit as he prepared to meet some of his North America teammates for dinner. You know, just a kid in Toronto who has just owned the North America-Sweden game and is about to make millions with the Flames. And to think some questioned whether Gaudreau could do what he did in college in the pros. His coaches and teammates at Boston College told me two years ago at the 2014 Frozen Four that he was an otherworldly talent who would thrive in the NHL -- no matter how small and young he looked. ' ' '