OAKLAND, Calif. [url=http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-Blake-Swihart-Kids-Jersey/ ]Blake Swihart Jersey[/url] . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. The right-hander has been so effective in his first season with Oakland that M

OAKLAND, Calif. Blake Swihart Jersey . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. The right-hander has been so effective in his first season with Oakland that Melvin might need to break out a thesaurus when talking about the veteran pitcher. Kazmir pitched seven innings to win his fourth straight start, Yoenis Cespedes hit his 14th home run and the As beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Thursday night. "Its a broken record talking about him because were seeing basically the same game out of him," Melvin said. "I had heard last year maybe this is a 100-pitch guy top, six innings maybe. Hes been anything but. Hes been absolutely terrific." Kazmir (9-2) went into the game with the second-lowest ERA among qualifiers in the AL and extended his streak to 18 1-3 innings without allowing an earned run before Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run home run in the sixth. He struck out eight and didnt walk a batter. Over his past five starts, Oaklands right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.27 ERA. "Probably one of the best (games) I felt this year, for sure," said Kazmir, who has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. "I was able to get ahead most of the time with my fastball and expand the strike zone with my breaking balls and my changeup. Didnt really use too many breaking balls. Just relied mainly on fastball location." Stephen Vogt had two hits and two RBIs, Jed Lowrie scored twice and John Jaso singled in an insurance run in the seventh to move the As a season-high 17 games over .500. Its the best record in the majors and continued Oaklands best start since 1990. Cespedes had not homered against the Red Sox until his two-out, solo shot off Jake Peavy in the third. Boston had played five straight one-run games heading into the series opener with Oakland. This one was tight as well. The As led 3-0 after Vogts single scored Lowrie in the fourth. Kazmir, who hasnt lost since May 23, took a shutout into the sixth that Pedroia ended with a two-out home run. It was the only mistake Kazmir made. "We faced a tough pitcher," Pedroia said. "To be honest, our at bats werent that bad. We have to find a way to have a big inning and get some momentum." Luke Gregerson pitched the eighth and Dan Otero worked the ninth for his first career save. Peavy (1-5) had a second straight strong outing but remained winless over his past 10 starts. Peavy allowed five hits over 6 1-3 innings, retired eight of the final nine batters he faced and struck out four with three walks. It wasnt enough to prevent the Red Sox from ending their three-game winning streak. Vogt hit an RBI groundout off Peavy in the second and singled in another run in the fourth. Lowrie, who walked and doubled, scored both times. Cespedes homered with two outs in the third. The Cuban slugger is batting .343 with four home runs and 12 RBIs through 17 games in June. Cespedes has driven in 49 runs already this season and could soon join teammates Brandon Moss (55) and Josh Donaldson (52) in the 50-RBI club. "When you look at the runs that weve put up this year, a lot of it has to do with those guys in the middle of the order," Melvin said. "Its pretty amazing." NOTES: Otero was in the closers role because Sean Doolittle had pitched in the previous two games. ... Cespedes has now homered against every team in the AL except Tampa Bay. ... RHP Clay Buchholz (hyperextended knee) pitched six scoreless innings during his second rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket. ... LHP Brad Mills starts Friday in his Oakland debut. Mills was acquired in a trade from Milwaukee earlier this week. LHP Felix Doubront (2-4) pitches for Boston. Rafael Devers Jersey . Lynn was tied for 16th entering the fourth round, six shots behind leader Paul Waring. He started with two birdies and added three more on his last five holes at the Oceanico Victoria course for an 18-under total of 266. Custom Boston Red Sox Jerseys .C. - Alberta prop Andrew Tiedemann will captain Canada against Uruguay on Friday, the opening day of competition at the IRB Americas Rugby Championship. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-David-Ortiz-Kids-Jersey/ . Not that Durant cared. The only streak he cares about is still intact.TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona Cardinals head east with former third-stringer Ryan Lindley as starting quarterback.Coach Bruce Arians confirmed after Thursdays practice that Lindley will start in Saturdays wild-card playoff game at Carolina.The announcement was no surprise because Drew Stanton did not practice all week.Stanton, the starter after Carson Palmer went down with a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 9, will miss his third straight game with a sprained right knee. He had the knee scoped last week after developing an infection.Arians said Stanton, who will not be in uniform, is close, but theres no way Im risking it.That leaves rookie Logan Thomas as Lindleys backup.Released by the Cardinals at the end of preseason, Lindley was signed off the San Diego practice squad two days after Palmer was hurt.He started the last two regular-season games, losses at Seattle and San Francisco. He threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns last Sunday against the 49ers, but was intercepted three times.Arians said Lindley is light years better now than he was when he took the field in Seattle.When you get experience in big games, and those were big games, it affects how you play, Arians said. I think hes more than ready to play extremely well.Arians said Lindley has the things that really count.Hes smart, hes tough and his accuracy is getting better and better, the coach said.Lindley is not overwhelmed by the situation, Arians said.Thats one thing thats got everybody excited, the coach said. Its not been too big for him. Hes as calm as you could be out there, and they all know he knows what hes doing. Thats the confidence factor everybody has.Ariians raved about the teams two practices this week. Bill Lee Jersey. Yesterdays practice in pads was as good a practice as (before) any playoff Ive ever seen, he said. You had to say Whoa, you didnt have to say sic em. They were getting after it pretty good.Defence has been the backbone of the Cardinals, who had a 9-1 record but lost four of their last six as the injuries mounted.But the defence had its two worst performances in the last two games, missing tackles and giving up big plays to quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick. Now Arizona faces another strong running quarterback in Cam Newton.Defensive end Calais Campbell said players have to stick to their assignments and not try to do too much.This game comes down to just doing your job, he said, and if all 11 players on defence execute their job, we should be successful. But when you try to do too much and start pressing and try to do somebody elses job, then youre jobs probably not being done like its supposed to, and thats when you cost the team.Inside linebacker Larry Foote said the defences goal is the same regardless of what the offence is or isnt doing.If we have Joe Montana (at quarterback), our job is to keep them from scoring, Foote said. Thats our game plan.The Cardinals (11-5), who travelled to Carolina on Thursday, are 6 1/2-point underdogs against the Panthers (7-8-1), who won four in a row to take the NFC South title.Arians said this team is accustomed to that role.The locker rooms loud, he said. 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