ropolitan Division champions responded by scoring the final three goals

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Josh Donaldson is pushing for a spot on the American League All-Star team with his bat and glove. Donaldson homered, reached base safely four times and made a pair of stellar defensive plays, including a tumbling catch while crashing over a roll of infield tarp in foul territory, to help preserve Oaklands 7-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. "If someone wants to say that Im having an All-Star year so far, thats fine," said Donaldson, who also doubled. "Ive said it a hundred times, if I just focus on helping our team win and try to do something productive for the team, the individual stuff is going to take care of itself." Donaldson went into the day ranked in the top five among AL third basemen in batting average, home runs and RBIs but was fifth in the most recently released All-Star voting. That could change the more the As win and the more Donaldson flashes his defensive skills. His catch on Matt Carpenters foul in the fourth ended a two-on, two-out threat. Donaldson later made a diving stop on Allen Craigs grounder to end the seventh with the tying run on second. Oakland needed it to overcome a rocky outing by starter Tommy Milone. Milone gave up three home runs and pitched with runners in scoring position in four of the six innings he worked, but got the win after the As rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 5-2. "Probably not his best command ... but he fought his way through," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "Against a team like that, to give us six innings, you wouldnt have forcasted that after the first inning." Jed Lowrie also homered for the As, who padded their AL-best home record by taking two of three in this interleague series. Oakland has won 16 of its last 19 games at the Coliseum. Carlos Beltran, Craig and Carpenter homered for the Cardinals. The slugfest in the series finale was in stark contrast to the first two games when starting pitchers Bartolo Colon of the As and Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals put together dominant performances. "That was kind of the game I anticipated happening but with us on the other side," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "We came out swinging the bats. Ive seen them enough to know this series was going to be like. Today could have gone either way." Oakland had seven extra-base hits -- five off St. Louis starter Jake Westbrook. Westbrook (4-3) lasted just four innings and gave up six runs and 10 hits overall. Lowries go-ahead two-run blast was the big blow, while Donaldsons solo shot off reliever Trevor Rosenthal in the seventh capped the As best offensive day in two weeks. Oakland remained a half-game behind Texas in the AL West and improved to 26-13 at home. The As are also 48-35, their best record after 83 games since 1992. Milone (7-7) overcame his rocky outing to win for the first time since June 3. Oaklands left-hander allowed seven hits over six innings with five strikeouts and two walks. The three home runs allowed by Milone also matched a season-high. Sean Doolittle and Ryan Cook each pitched a scoreless inning of relief, and Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his 19th save. "It makes it a lot easier when we come back and score some runs," Milone said. "We just kept coming back." St. Louis, which began the day one game behind Pittsburgh in the NL Central, took a pair of early leads but couldnt make them hold up. Beltran and Craig hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. It was Beltrans team-leading 19th homer while Craigs blast was his third on the Cardinals current road trip. The As pulled within one when Lowrie singled in Seth Smith and scored on an RBI double by Yoenis Cespedes in the bottom of the inning. Carpenters solo home run in the third off Milone made it 4-2. Lowrie, Oaklands shortstop, later let Matt Hollidays grounder go through his legs and was slow to retrieve the ball, allowing Beltran to score from second. Oakland scored twice in the third with the help of two errors, and then went ahead 6-5 on Lowries two-run homer off Westbrook in the fourth after Chris Youngs leadoff single. "I just didnt have it," Westbrook said. "It seemed like I was fighting it all day. The ball was all over the place." Notes: Oakland CF Coco Crisp left the game in the fourth inning with back spasms and is day-to-day. ... Cardinals 1B Matt Adams was a late scratch due to food poisoning. His replacement, Ty Wiggington, went 0-for-3. Adams struck out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth... As RHP Jarrod Parker is still nursing a strained right hamstring but will attempt to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. Parker left Saturdays game after injuring his leg with two outs in the fourth inning. ... Cardinals RHP Shelby Miller threw an extended bullpen before the game. Miller threw 61 pitches in his previous start on Friday. ... Oakland RHP A.J. Griffin (6-6) pitches the series opener against the Cubs on Tuesday. ... RHP Lance Lynn (10-3) takes the mound for the Cardinals in their first-ever visit to Anaheim to play the Angels. Adrian Wilson Jersey . On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. Cheap Arizona Cardinals Jerseys . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington. http://www.cheaparizonacardinalsjerseysauthentic.com/ . TSN 1290s coverage begins with Hustler & Lawless at 3pm. Rick Ralph hosts the Official Jets Pre-game Show at 5pm. Pat Tillman Jersey .ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston. Kyler Murray Jersey .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005.PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates came up with a second straight comeback win. "Youve got to believe, though. Can you have faith?" said Jordy Mercer, whose pinch-hit double in the seventh inning tied the score. The next inning Neil Walker hit a two-run double to cap the comeback from a five-run deficit as Pittsburgh beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 on Saturday night. The Pirates erased a 5-3, ninth-inning deficit in a win over the Blue Jays on Friday and clawed back from deficits of 5-0 in the fourth a 6-2 in the seventh Saturday. Aaron Loup relieved R.A. Dickey after Clint Barmes leadoff double in the seventh, and the Pirates tied the score on Josh Harrisons RBI double, Pedro Alvarezs run-scoring groundout and Mercers two-run double. "It just blew up on us," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "I cant tell you anything more than that." The game-tying hit was a longtime coming for Mercer, who entered the game with a .151 batting average and hadnt driven in a run since April 15. "I know everybody here has my back so I dont think its really a confidence issue," Mercer said. "I think getting a hit for the team was bigger than anything." One inning later, Ike Davis reached on a one-out infield single against Todd Redmond (0-3), Harrison singled and Walker hit a drive off the top of the wall in centre field. "Tonight was one of the nights we didnt play real great defence, we didnt pitch real well, but somehow we found a way to win in the end," Walker said. "It doesnt have to be pretty." The Pirates could have boosted their lead in the ninth, but Starling Marte lined out to first against Chad Jenkins with the bases loaded. Bryan Morris (3-0) pitched a perfect eighth, and Mark Melancon earned his first save of the season in place of injured closer Jason Grilli, retiring Colby Ramus on a game-ending groundout with two on. Pittsburgh, which overcame four errors, won consecutive games for the first time since beating St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs on April 6 and 8. Torontos Jose ;Bautista hit his ninth homer of the year, extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.dddddddddddd He set a Blue Jays record by reaching base in a 30th consecutive game. "I dont think that were going to start pointing fingers at anybody just because weve lost a couple games in a particular fashion," Bautista said. Dickey allowed three runs, five hits and four walks, lowering his ERA to 5.01. "Hes a quality pitcher, an All-Star, hes won 20 games in the big leagues and he was on tonight," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "So as soon as hes out, its just better. Its no knock against anybody else, its just going to be different." Pirates starter Francisco Liriano gave up five runs -- four earned -- six hits and three walks in 3 2-3 innings, the second straight start he failed to reach the fourth. "I was trying to throw my sinker down and away and just missed my spots," Liriano said. Toronto built its early lead on Jose Reyes RBI double in the third and a four-run fourth that included Brett Lawries run-scoring double over Marte in left, Rasmus RBI single, Steve Tollesons run-scoring, double-play grounder and a bases-loaded walk to Melky Cabrera. Pittsburghs comeback began in the fourth when Dickey threw a run-scoring wild pitch, and Barmes hit an RBI groundout. "Were a little bit shell-shocked right now," Gibbons said. "But weve got to turn it around. Heck, its the start of May." NOTES: The Blue Jays removed RHP Sergio Santos from his role as interim closer after he blew three of his past four save opportunities. Gibbons said Toronto will use a closer-by-committee approach until Casey Janssen (oblique) returns from the DL. ... After optioning RHP Brandon Cumpton to the minor leagues Saturday, the Pirates have an open spot in their rotation Monday when they start a three-game set against San Francisco. LHP Wandy Rodriguez (right knee) could return from the DL. ... Toronto RHP Dustin McGowan (1-1, 5.87) is scheduled to pitch Sunday against Pittsburgh RHP Edinson Volquez (1-2, 3.21). 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