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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yoenis Cespedes homered twice and tied a career high with five RBIs before leaving with an apparent right thumb injury, and the Oakland Athletics held off the Houston Astros 9-7 on Wednesday night. The two-time reigning Home Run Derby champion hit a three-run drive in the second inning and a two-run shot in the fourth off Brad Peacock (3-7) for his 15th and 16th homers this season. Cespedes snapped a 25-game skid -- matching his career high -- since his last long ball June 19 against Boston. Cespedes was replaced in left field with the As leading 8-1 in the seventh. But the Astros almost pulled off an improbable comeback, scoring five runs in the eighth before the back of Oaklands bullpen shut them down. Jesse Chavez (8-6) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2-3 innings to help the As (62-38) extend the best record in baseball. He struck out seven and walked two. Struggling reliever Jim Johnson gave up four runs -- three earned -- without recording an out to spark Houstons five-run eighth. He left to a smattering of boos again. Luke Gregerson stranded two runners on base in the eighth, and Sean Doolittle recorded his 15th save in 18 tries with a perfect ninth. Chavez, who had not started since July 12 at Seattle before the All-Star break, looked sharp at the outset. He did not allow a hit until Matt Dominguez lined a single to left with one out in the fifth. The As got all the support they needed in just three swings. Jed Lowrie led off Oaklands second with his fifth homer, and Cespedes busted the game open by sending a slider from Peacock over the wall in centre. In the fourth, Cespedes pulled a curveball into the stands in left to put the As up 7-0. It was Cespedes fifth career two-homer game and first since June 4 at the New York Yankees. It also was the third time hes had five RBIs in a game -- all this year. Peacock, who was traded to Houston in February 2013 as part of the deal that landed Lowrie in Oakland, was charged with seven runs and seven hits in 3 2-3 innings. The As built leads of 8-1 and 9-2 but still had a few scares late. Cespedes had his right thumb examined by a team trainer after grounding out on an awkward swing in the fifth. He stayed in the game before Craig Gentry replaced him in left field to start the seventh. First baseman Brandon Moss had his left hand looked at by a trainer after Jose Altuve ran through his tag on a misfired throw, jarring the ball loose, and Johnson -- who signed a $10 million, one-year deal with Oakland after leading the AL with 50 saves for Baltimore last season -- helped turn a runaway game into a tight one. NOTES: Athletics INF Alberto Callaspo (right hamstring) could begin a rehab assignment in the next day or so and come off the disabled list Sunday. ... The Astros placed rookie OF George Springer on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps and recalled outfielder Marc Krauss from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... The As said they raised $29,189 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation during the teams annual Root Beer Float Day, bringing the 15-year total to more than $414,000. ... Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 3.27 ERA) takes the mound for Oakland against Scott Feldman (4-7, 4.30 ERA) and the Astros in Thursdays series finale. . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline ... ey-jersey/. Jacobs scored two in the first end, but Jahr briefly took charge with two in the second end and two more in the third. Jacobs, from Sault. Marie, Ont., gave Canada some breathing room, following his big fourth end by adding two more points in the fifth to go up 7-4. . With the players association in the midst of meetings in Las Vegas, a vote will be held on Friday to decide the CFLPAs presidency and other executive positions. . Toronto ended an 0-4-0 skid with Sundays shootout win over visiting New Jersey, but the club could have a difficult time making it two victories in a row tonight. The Maple Leafs have dropped three straight and 11 of the last 12 regular- season meetings against Boston overall and the Bruins have claimed six straight in Beantown.Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Randy Bullock converted a franchise-record six field goals while Arian Foster threw a touchdown pass as the Houston Texans downed the Baltimore Ravens, 25-13, in Week 16 action. Case Keenum passed for 185 yards and was picked off once after completing 20- of-42 passes for the Texans (8-7), who guaranteed themselves at least a .500 season with their third win in the last four. Foster also racked up a game-high 96 yards rushing on 25 attempts while C.J. Fiiedorowicz was the beneficiary of his scoring throw.dddddddddddd Andre Johnson totaled 65 yards on six catches and reached the 1,000-reception plateau. Joe Flacco had one of his worst days as a professional, completing only 21 of his 50 passes for 195 yards, two touchdowns to Torrey Smith and three interceptions for the Ravens (9-6), who had a two-game win streak snapped. Steve Smith picked up 49 yards on five grabs, while Justin Forsett was held to 19 yards on 10 carries. ' ' '