cause of his prodigious numbers against left-handed pitching. Flores has been sidelined since Sept. 10 after getting hurt in a home-plate collision. Surgery is planned this week to remove the hamate bone in his ri

OAKLAND, Calif. -- With a little more playing time these past few days, Athletics slugger Billy Butler is finally getting comfortable at the plate -- even in a rare appearance against a right-hander.It might not be enough to get him out of a part-time role in Oakland. Still, its a step in the right direction for the former All-Star first baseman.Butler hit a tiebreaking home run off Erasmo Ramirez with one out in the eighth inning and the As held on to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Sunday.Ive shown it my career, I can come through in those situations day in and day out, Butler said after helping the As complete a 7-3 homestand. Its one of those things where I really havent had any opportunities to be frustrated. I just havent had my number called a lot. Coming through in those situations, maybe Ill get my number called more.Oakland lost the first game of this series then won the next two on walkoff hits. The As led 2-0 in the finale until Logan Forsythes tying two-run homer in the top of the eighth.Ramirez (7-8) retired Khris Davis on a fly ball before Butler hammered an 0-1 pitch over the wall in center. Its Butlers third home run of the season and first since June 7.Butler also had an RBI single in the first, giving him 18 RBI over his last 35 games.Its tough for a guy that plays every day to try to get himself into a rhythm if hes not, but thats a big hit today, As manager Bob Melvin said. Hes staying positive . but this has been a tough year for him, based on the fact hes asked to do something hes not used to doing.Davis added two hits while Jake Smolinski doubled twice and scored for the As.Ryan Dull (4-2) retired two batters for the win despite giving up Forsythes home run. Ryan Madson pitched the ninth for his 21st save.Home runs have beat us up a lot this year, Rays manager Kevin Cash said. Obviously when you give up that many, theyre coming at the wrong time.Forsythes home run in the eighth ruined an otherwise stellar day for As starter Jesse Hahn.Called up from the minors before the game, Hahn faced just two over the minimum through six innings and allowed only one runner to reach second base before leaving with a 2-0 lead with two outs in the eighth. The right-hander walked one and matched his season-high of five strikeouts.Oakland jumped on Tampa Bay rookie left-hander Blake Snell early and strung together four consecutive one-out hits in the first. Davis had an RBI double and Butler added a run-scoring single to put the As up 2-0.Snell allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.THIN BENCHWith only one fully healthy player (Matt McBride) available off the bench Melvin was asked if he had any pitchers hed consider using as positional players if the need arose. Ive got a couple of guys that would like to do it, Melvin said, specifically mentioning Sonny Gray and Kendall Graveman. I hope I dont get to that point. Position players always think they can pitch . and pitchers who are athletic always think they can play positions.TRAINERS ROOMRays: Desmond Jennings (strained left hamstring) ran the bases and took batting practice without a setback during a minor league rehab appearance. ... RHP Brad Boxberger threw 22 pitches in a rehab outing and is hopeful of rejoining the big league club in Los Angeles.Athletics: Coco Crisp was a late scratch because of neck soreness. He joined Josh Reddick (lower back soreness) on the bench. ... Rich Hill threw 30 pitches while wearing a protective covering on the middle finger of his left hand. Hill, who left his last start after five pitches because of a blister, will continue to throw bullpens for conditioning until the blister heals. ... Arismendy Alcantara was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.UP NEXTRays: RHP Chris Archer (5-13) pitches against the Dodgers in the opener of a two-game series on Tuesday. Archer entered the weekend leading the AL with 147 strikeouts.Athletics: RHP Daniel Mengden (1-1) returns to his native Texas to face the Rangers on Monday. Mengden was born in Houston and attended Texas A&M.- -- -This version correctly shows that the As took three of four games and did not sweep the series. Wholesale Shoes From China . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Nike EXP-X14 Sale . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/nike-air-yeezy-sale/ .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mooseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Adidas Shoes Sale . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Nike Air Humara Sale . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. NEW YORK -- Nobody takes to October like Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants.Bumgarner pitched a four-hitter for his latest postseason gem, outlasting Noah Syndergaard in a classic duel between aces, and injury substitute Conor Gillaspie hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning that sent San Francisco to a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets in the NL wild-card game Wednesday night.This game was everything we thought. Two really outstanding pitchers going at it, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. One of the best postseason games Ive been a part of.Gillaspie connected off All-Star closer Jeurys Familia, who led the majors this year with a club-record 51 saves while allowing only one home run.With their ninth consecutive victory when facing postseason elimination, Bochy and the Giants advanced to play the NL Central champion Cubs in a best-of-five Division Series. Game 1 is Friday night at venerable Wrigley Field in Chicago.I like our chances, Bumgarner said.The good news for the Cubs as they attempt to end a championship drought that dates to 1908 is this: Bumgarner probably wont start until Game 3 -- and would only be available once on full rest.The big left-hander has been untouchable under pressure.Its unbelievable what hes done, Gillaspie said.The last time Bumgarner was on the mound in the postseason, he saved Game 7 of the 2014 World Series in Kansas City with five scoreless innings on two days rest to cap one of the greatest playoff performances in baseball history.Including his four-hit shutout at Pittsburgh in the 2014 wild-card game, he has tossed 23 straight scoreless innings in winner-take-all games -- all on the road.Sandy Koufax. Bob Gibson. Whitey Ford -- Bumgarner ranks right up there with any of `em when it comes to October clutch.Hes one of the games great big-game pitchers, Mets manager Terry Collins said.Asked how he wants to be remembered, Bumgarner said: Im a winner. Thats all anybody wants to be.After having the best record in the majors at the All-Star break, San Francisco was 26-42 in the second half before finishing with a four-game winning streak to hold off St. Louis by one game for the final NL playoff spot.Now, the Giants have a chance to extend their pattern of even-year titles after winning World Series crowns in 2010, `12 and `14.In a matchup between the past two NL champions, Syndergaard struck out 10 in seven innings of two-hit ball. Familia entered in the ninth and Brandon Crawford lined a leadoff double. Angel Pagan struck out after failing to get a bunt down, and Joe Panik walked.Gillaspie, starting at third base for injured All-Star Eduardo Nunez and playing his first postseason game, drove a 96 mph pitch to right field and pumped his arm as he rounded first.I dont know what I was thinking. Normally Im not a fired-up guy. I let some frustration out from the first six innings with that swing, said Gillaspie, who was 7 for 14 with five RBI in his final five games of the regular season.Before he connected, the Giants had a pinch-hitter on deck to bat for Bumgarner.When the ball cleared the fence, it stunned a revved-up, orange towel-waving crowd of 44,747 that sank into its Citi Field seats with a collective groan.I missed the location, Familia said simply.With the Giants finally ahead, Bochy sent Bumgarner back out. He closed with a 1-2-3 ninth againstt the 3-4-5 hitters and smacked his glove in triumph when rookie T.dddddddddddd. Rivera flied out to end it.San Francisco players hugged each other behind the mound and headed for the clubhouse to celebrate with bubbly, cheered by a happy contingent of Giants fans behind their dugout.Bum just did his thing, Bochy said. We won the game because of him.With his sizzling fastball clocking 99 mph and long, blond locks dangling down his neck, Syndergaard held San Francisco hitless until Denard Spans two-out single in the sixth.Mets center fielder Curtis Granderson kept the game scoreless with a courageous grab of Brandon Belts deep drive, crashing hard with his left shoulder into the padded fence 408 feet from home plate and tumbling to the warning track.Syndergaard simply overpowered the Giants at times, but Bumgarner kept the Mets off balance by mixing pinpoint pitches and changing speeds from around 93 mph down to 77 mph.New York came out swinging after Collins said before the game his hitters had seen enough video of Bumgarner over the past two days to know he would challenge them. But the aggressive approach played right into the hands of Bumgarner and the Giants, who never had to use a shaky bullpen that struggled badly down the stretch.The big lefty was able to get quick outs early and went the distance on 119 pitches, striking out six and walking two -- one intentional. He needed only seven pitches to get through each of the first three innings, with the help of a double play.I really thought, `Hey look, if we can get to him early, Collins said. We probably need to do a little better job of working the count.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Nunez (strained right hamstring) was left off the wild-card roster. An AL All-Star this season with Minnesota, he was acquired in a July 28 trade but hasnt played since Sept. 25.Mets: INF Wilmer Flores (wrist) was missed, particularly because of his prodigious numbers against left-handed pitching. Flores has been sidelined since Sept. 10 after getting hurt in a home-plate collision. Surgery is planned this week to remove the hamate bone in his right wrist, and Flores is expected to be healthy for spring training next year.THEIR TIME OF YEARThe Giants have outscored opponents 50-11 in their last nine postseason elimination games. They have won all 11 postseason rounds under Bochy, matching manager Joe Torre and the 1998-2001 New York Yankees for the longest streak in major league history.FAMILY TIESNew York had a runner on second when Bumgarner caught Asdrubal Cabreras not-so-hard liner to end the eighth inning. Pumped up by the play, he tossed the ball deep into the stands as he approached the dugout. Just to be able to snag that thing was pretty big for us, Bumgarner said. Its OK to say it now since nobody knows, but that was our family section, so just threw the ball there.HEAT INDEXSyndergaard fired 42 pitches at least 98 mph -- more than the Phillies (41) and Indians (35) threw all year, according to a tweet from Inside Edge.UP NEXTGiants: RHP Johnny Cueto figures to start the Division Series opener against LHP Jon Lester. The Cubs had the top record in the majors this year at 103-58.Mets: Open next season April 3 at home against Atlanta. ' ' '