Wilkommen bei den Schatten » nough to keep his place for Sunday

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." Marvin Williams Hornets Jersey . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Percy Miller Hornets Jersey . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. http://www.hornetsteamproshop.com/Cheap-Alonzo-Mourning-Hornets-Jersey/ . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Malik Monk Hornets Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Larry Johnson Hornets Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. MANCHESTER, England -- Bastian Schweinsteiger might still have a future at Manchester United.It seemed the former Germany captain would be on his way out of Old Trafford in January when he was told to train away from the first-team squad for the first few months of the season, and even written off as an asset in Uniteds published accounts in September.But the 32-year-old Schweinsteiger has impressed United manager Jose Mourinho with his attitude and determination. Having been asked to rejoin training with the senior team last month, the midfielder made his first appearance of the season as a substitute in Uniteds 4-1 win over West Ham in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.Suddenly, Schweinsteiger is on Mourinhos radar. Mourinho, famously dubbed the Special One during his time at Chelsea, is calling Schweinsteiger the Powerful One.In the summer, we try to make something happen for Bastian to have a different future, Mourinho said Friday. He decided to stay, even in difficult circumstances. He worked for that, he deserved that little happiness of the last match.In January, he will be the powerful one, probably with better feelings than before now he is working with the team. I think he understands our dynamic, our philosophy.Schweinsteiger, who joined United in July 2015 and still has 1+ years left on his contract, has a fight on his hands to regain a regular first-team place with Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini seemingly ahead of him in the midfield pecking order.Given the strides he has made to earn Mourinhos confidence in the past two months, Schweinsteiger can still hope. And the reaction he got at Old Trafford when he came on against West Ham suggested United fans would be happy to see more of the 2014 World Cup winner.He is another one who can help us, Mourinho said. During the season, you have injuries, suspensions .dddddddddddd... Of course, it was 3-1 and he played for 10 minutes (against West Ham), but he was ready. He is another one in the squad working to have more chances.There are a few more in that situation.Attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has made two starts in the past week after being mostly overlooked by Mourinho since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the offseason. He also impressed against West Ham, setting up two goals and potentially doing enough to keep his place for Sundays match at Everton in the Premier League.Then theres Anthony Martial, the 20-year-old France forward who was Uniteds top scorer in his debut year last season. He has been in and out of the team under Mourinho, who has sometimes preferred Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford in the wide positions.Martial doubled his tally for this season with two goals against West Ham and looks to be responding to some pointed comments by Mourinho in the British media.He is working. Working harder than before, to be honest, Mourinho said. When you score two goals, maybe it helps your happiness to be back, your confidence levels to be back.Mourinho will be back in the dugout at Goodison Park after serving his second touchline ban of the season in the West Ham match. That was a punishment for kicking a water bottle next to the technical area during a league match at Old Trafford last weekend.Mourinho said he deserved to be sent to the stands for the offense but queried whether other managers would receive the same punishment.The only thing I would like, he said, would be the same rules for everyone ... I accept the suspension of one match. Its as simple as that. But it has to be the same for every manager. ' ' '