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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yoenis Cespedes is gone to Boston and the Oakland Athletics are slumping without their former slugger. Josh Reddick is a bright spot in the lineup and continues a recent tear, getting a two-run double in the ninth inning of a 7-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday that cost the AL West leaders a sweep. "We couldnt get anything going. Our lineup continues to struggle," Reddick said. "We know we have a good lineup with or without Cespedes. We miss him. Someone has to step up. We havent done that yet. We have to keep grinding." The As acquired ace Jon Lester in last Thursdays trade deadline deal that sent Cespedes out of town, and the pitcher starts again Thursday. The Rays handed reigning AL Pitcher of the Month Sonny Gray (12-5) his second straight defeat following a 5-0 July in which he had a 1.03 ERA. This is the second time Gray has lost consecutive outings in his first full major league season, also to Baltimore and the Yankees on June 7 and 13. "When you put your team in a hole like that, youre putting a lot of pressure on the offence," said Gray, tagged for a career-high 10 hits. "Thats tough to climb out of." Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer to help Jeremy Hellickson end a six-start winless stretch for his first victory in 11 months. Hellickson (1-1) allowed two hits and one run in seven innings, struck out three and walked none. He hadnt reached five innings in any of his previous three starts this year or in five outings dating to the end of the 2013 season. The 2011 AL Rookie of the Year returned late last month following rehab for the January elbow operation. Kiermaiers first-pitch homer in the fourth was just the ninth surrendered this year by Gray, who came into Wednesday with a 1-0 record and 0.61 ERA in two career starts against the Rays. Hellickson retired the first nine As hitters in order before Coco Crisps leadoff single in the fourth, then the right-hander recorded seven more outs in a row. "That looked like the Rookie of the Year Hellickson," manager Joe Maddon said. "My thought is now that hes done it once he can really take off." Eric Sogard broke that up with a sixth-inning homer, snapping a career-high 110-game homerless streak dating to July 21, 2013. Josh Reddick added a two-run double in the ninth off former As closer Grant Balfour. Gray plunked Kiermaier in the fifth to load the bases and Desmond Jennings followed with a two-run single to chase the right-hander after a season-low 4 1-3 innings. Jesse Chavez, moved to the bullpen when Lester arrived, worked 3 2-3 innings. Oaklands No. 3-4 hitters of Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss went a combined 1 for 7. "Weve seen a stretch where we scored double-digit runs," manager Bob Melvin said. "Were not doing that right now. Were not getting consistent at bats like weve been getting." MOSS FUNK Moss is mired in an 0-for-17 funk that matches the longest hitless streak of his career, also done in September 2010. "If we keep getting guys on base, were going to do what we do," Reddick said. "Weve got to get out of our rut." COLISEUM LEASE The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority approved the Athletics 10-year lease deal that keeps the club in Oakland for now -- a formality in the deal reached last month. TRAINERS ROOM Rays: Catcher Jose Molina took a foul tip on his right arm in the third but stayed in the game. Athletics: Melvin said shortstop Jed Lowrie could be back from a bruised right index finger for Thursdays series opener with the Twins. UP NEXT Rays: After an off-day in Chicago, RHP Chris Archer (7-6, 3.42 ERA) pitches Fridays opener of a weekend series at Wrigley Field to close out interleague play. Athletics: LHP Lester (11-7, 2.59) is 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA over nine starts since a June 7 loss at Detroit. Cheap Fake Jerseys Free Shipping . Rajon Rondo had 18 of Bostons season-high 38 assists and the Celtics committed just seven turnovers in a 118-111 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys .J. -- The Houston Astros had the No. http://www.jerseyscheapcustom.com/ . Then Klay Thompson put his foot on the gas. Thompson scored 19 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and Harrison Barnes scored 14 points in his season debut to help the Golden State Warriors to a 106-93 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Cheap Jerseys From China . PETERSBURG, Florida – Heading into Thursday nights action, Dioner Navarro had caught 14 innings combined from starters Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle. Fake Jerseys 2020 . -- Ricky Romeros comeback bid hit another road bump Tuesday in an ugly 18-4 Jays loss to a Detroit Tigers split squad.Two Canadian snowboarders who were critical of Shaun Whites decision to pull out of the Olympic slopestyle competition were among eight riders who qualified Thursday for the events final. Max Parrot posted the days best score, a 97.50 in his second run. Sebastien Toutant also made it through to Saturdays final as the Sochi Olympics opened with one of the new events debuting at the games. White, the American star known for his daring halfpipe tricks, withdrew from the event on Wednesday, saying he wanted to concentrate on winning his third straight gold medal in the halfpipe. He hurt his wrist during a training run on Tuesday but initially indicated he would not miss the event. His decision to withdraw was mocked by Parrot and Toutant on social media. In a since-deleted tweet, Parrot said he thought White was "scared" to compete and "knows he wont be able to win the slopes." "I just think me and Seb said something all the other riders would have loved to tell, but maybe are scared to tell," Parrot told TSN on Thursday. "He choked a couple contests this year with not really good reasons. With him here he has the potential to be...Why choke on it for nothing?" Toutant tweeted, "Its easy to find excuses to pull out of a contest when you think you cant win." Toutant also deleted his message, but clarified his stance after his runs on Thursday. "I think its sad for alll Americans who trained hard for that spot," he added.dddddddddddd"Cant replace him - pretty sad. If you think its too dangerous, go do something else." The slopestyle course drew criticism as being potentially dangerous and was modified after Norways Torstein Horgmo broke his collarbone on Monday. The event, making its Olympic debut, features riders doing tricks over rails and jumps, like skateboarders in a city park only down a snow-covered trail. Parrots first run was smooth, but for a dragged hand at the end of one of his jumps, and drew a score of 91.75. The reigning Winter X Games gold medalist was better on his second run, which had few obvious flaws. Toutant scored a 74.25 on his first run and qualified through his second with a score of 87.25. Canadian Mark McMorris, a two-time X Games gold medalist, fell on his first run and will have to qualify through the semifinals. McMorris, who suffered a broken rib at the X Games last month, pulled off a triple-cork on his second run but earned an 89.25, not among the four best riders in his heat. Americans Sage Kotsenburg, Ryan Stassel and Charles Guldemond will also have to try to qualify through the semifinals, which are Saturday. Moving directly to the final with Parrot and Toutant were Norways Staale Sandbech and Gjermund Braaten, Finlands Peetu Piiroinen and Roope Tonteri, Great Britains Jamie Nicholls and Swedens Sven Thorgren. ' ' '