Kritik und Lob » tested negative for strep throat ... RH

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Adrian Beltre and the Texas Rangers were subdued as they began the celebration, exchanging hugs near the pitchers mound at Oakland Coliseum.Things got more raucous in the clubhouse, with cigar smoke and champagne everywhere.The Rangers are getting pretty good at this division title thing. Now its time to chase some more important hardware.Beltre hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Texas Rangers secured their second straight AL West title, becoming the first American League team to clinch a playoff spot with a 3-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.Its just the first step, its just the first step, Beltre said.Its not easy to get where we are right now. We took the first step to win the division and get into the playoffs. We have a good enough team to win the World Series. Thats our goal. Were going to celebrate today, but we know this is not just what we accomplished. We want to accomplish a lot more things.This is Texas seventh AL West title -- not including the strike-shortened 1994 season -- and fourth since 2010. The Rangers have won division titles in both seasons since manager Jeff Banister took over after losing an AL-high 95 games in 2014.Its a lot of fun to be part of, honestly, Banister said. Hard to describe unless youre there every day, but everyone would rather to go to work where you love the people that youre working with, you enjoy the culture, the camaraderie, and were fortunate that whats we got right now.That camaraderie is a big part of how they got there.I feel like weve always had a lot of emotion, Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis said. We play with a lot of passion, and thats what its all about; thats what makes us good.Beltres homer came during a three-run seventh after Oakland starter Kendall Graveman (10-11) began with six perfect innings. Texas got its first baserunner when Carlos Gomez beat out an infield hit to lead off the seventh against Graveman.He was throwing the ball really well. Beltre said. His fastball was moving really well. He got us off-balanced for about six innings. We got lucky. We got a couple of balls that found some holes. We scored just when we needed to win the ball game.Beltre unloaded on what he believes was Gravemans first slider of the game.I was not suspecting that pitch, but he left it right over the plate, Beltre said. I was lucky enough to put a good swing on it.All-Star left-hander Cole Hamels (15-5), acquired prior to last years non-waiver trade deadline, pitched the division-clinching game for the second year in a row. Last year, he threw a three-hitter in the last game of the regular season to beat the Los Angeles Angels.Hamels struck out seven and allowed no walks in seven innings of six-hit ball in what for him was an important bounce-back after allowing 21 earned run in 18 innings over his previous four starts.Graveman allowed three runs and four hits over seven innings. He threw 77 pitches and went to just one three-ball count, to Nomar Mazara leading off the third.The As brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth but closer Sam Dyson got pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso to hit into a fielders choice for the last out to record his 36th save.It feels really good. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said. Last year was a little hard the way everything ended up, especially for myself, but I tried to use it to motivate me, and thats what I did all offseason. Really happy everything we did as a team, and weve got to keep going.BEST IN THE WESTThis is the third time the Rangers have won back-to-back titles, having also done so in 1998 and 1999 and then in 2010 and 2011. Current As third-base coach Ron Washington was their manager for the most recent back-to-back, when they made their first two World Series appearances.After being the AL Wests first-place team since May 29, the Rangers finally clinched in their 154th game. That matched their earliest clinch ever -- they also won the division in the 154th game in 2011, also at Oakland.JEFFRESS REINSTATEDRangers reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been reinstated by Major League Baseball and joined the team after being placed on the restricted list following an arrest on a drunken driving charge last month. Jeffress was arrested Aug. 26., less than a month after being acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers before the Aug. 1 deadline.The right-handed reliever was at an inpatient rehab clinic for a little more than three weeks, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. It isnt clear whether Jeffress will be on the teams postseason roster.ROSTER MOVEThe Rangers recalled LHP Andrew Faulkner from Triple-A Round Rock. Faulkner has been working out at the teams Surprise, Arizona, training complex since Sept. 12.TRAINERS ROOMRangers: OF Shin-Soo Choo took batting practice for the first time since going on the disabled list Aug. 16 with a left forearm fracture. Choo hopes to play in next weekends regular season-ending series against Tampa Bay, which could be his last chance to show the Rangers hes ready to be on their playoff roster.Athletics: Utilityman Arismendy Alcantara will miss the rest of the season with a thumb sprain. Alcantara suffered the injury sliding into second base in the ninth inning of Wednesdays game against the Houston Astros.UP NEXTRangers starter Yu Darvish (5-5, 3.81) tries to get back on track against Raul Alcantara (1-1, 5.65) on Saturday. Darvish has a 7.47 ERA in his past three starts, including when he allowed seven runs over five innings last time out against the As.NMD_R1 Shoes Canada . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. NMD R1 Primeknit Canada . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. http://www.nmdshoescanada.com/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Ultra Boost 4.0 Canada . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. y-3 Sale Canada .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up.CHICAGO -- When Anthony Rizzo found out the eight-year anniversary of him being declared cancer-free fell on the same day fellow cancer survivor Jon Lester was pitching, he told Lester he was going to throw a no-hitter.He came close.Lester pitched 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball and settled for his second complete game of the season, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Friday to move a season-high 40 games over .500.It coincided with a Major League Baseball initiative that had players and umpires wearing gold sweatbands to raise awareness for childhood cancer.Its a little more special for me and Rizz, just with our foundations and what weve been through, said Lester, who overcame lymphoma a decade ago. He did say the other day I was going to throw a no-hitter on the kids strike out cancer day. It would have been pretty cool, but glad we got the win instead.Hunter Pence ended Lesters bid for a second no-hitter with a homer to left on a 1-2 changeup that cut over the plate. Brandon Crawford followed with a double, and Lester (15-4) got Eduardo Nunez to line to third. He then worked around Trevor Browns one-out double in the eighth.We ran into a very hot pitcher whos throwing the ball very well and he was on top of his game, manager Bruce Bochy said. Still, youve got to generate some offense.I will say we hit some balls had right at them, too. We couldve used a break on Nunezs ball. He just hit it right at him or right there the game is tied.Lester allowed three hits and walked two. The Cubs have won five straight to improve to 87-47. The last time they were 40 games over .500 was the end of the 1945 season.Its pretty incredible, manager Joe Maddon.David Ross and Dexter Fowler had RBI hits in the second off Albert Suarez (3-3).Pences second homer in two days ended a 12 2/3-innings hitless streak (0 for 40) for San Francisco. The Giants are a major league-worst 15-29 since the All-Star break.Lester walked Buster Posey with two outs in the first inning and followed by setting down 18 straight while getting some help.Third baseman Krris Bryant made a diving, backhand grab of Crawfords liner to lead off the fifth and Dexter Fowler made a sliding catch of Kelby Tomlinsons liner to center an inning later.ddddddddddddOur defense has been fun to watch all year, and it makes our jobs a lot easier, Lester said.The 32-year-old Lester threw a no-hitter on May 19, 2008, for Boston against Kansas City. That came less than two years after he was diagnosed with cancer.He acknowledged he started thinking about a second one after the first inning and added, Anybody that tells you different is lying.The rookie Suarez, in his ninth start, allowed three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings.Lester struck out Crawford looking with a runner on first for his fourth strikeout to end it on his 102nd pitch.I think the big thing was they were aggressive, Lester said. I was able to keep the ball down and keep the defense active today.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: C Trevor Brown (illness) started after being unavailable Thursday, allowing Posey to play 1B. Brown tested negative for strep throat ... RHP Matt Cain (back) was activated off the disabled list and became the 12th reliever thanks to expanded rosters.Cubs: RHP John Lackey (shoulder) came out fine after a bullpen session and will start Sunday. ... Reliever Pedro Strop (knee) vowed to be back in mid-September after a setback with a strained groin during his rehab. ... RHP Hector Rondon (triceps) is set to pitch Saturday and Monday for Triple-A Iowa.RIZZOS MILESTONERizzo reflected on beating Hodgkins lymphoma.Obviously come a long way, he said. Done a lot of good things on the baseball field, but way more better things off the field. Rizzos foundation has raised about $2 million to support families of children with cancer and cancer research.UP NEXTA showdown of stars Saturday as Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (16-5, 2.84 ERA) faces LHP Madison Bumgarner (13-8, 2.49). Itll be an interesting day, no question, Maddon said. ' ' '