OAKLAND, Calif. - One after another, the starting pitchers for the Oakland Athletics are shutting down opponents and making up for most of the clubs shortcomings. Especially the back of the bullpen. Jesse Chavez struck out seven and came up an inning short of his first complete game, and the As held on to beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Monday night for their season-high fifth straight win. "We all feed off of each other," Chavez said. "And I think thats what makes a good staff." Chavez (3-1) gave up five hits and walked two for the AL-West leading As, who have outscored opponents 28-8 during the winning streak. The former reliever allowed only solo home runs to Dayan Viciedo and Jose Abreu, whose major-league leading 14th long ball in the ninth chased the right-hander. Josh Donaldson hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth, and Josh Reddick hit a tying triple in the second off John Danks (3-3) during Oaklands win. Jed Lowrie added a two-run double in the seventh that proved pivotal after the White Sox scored three runs in the ninth and nearly forced extra innings. Left-hander Sean Doolittle recorded the final three outs, striking out pinch-hitter Tyler Flowers and Leury Garcia to strand the tying runner on second. "Didnt want it to get to that point, but thats how it got there," As manager Bob Melvin said. Danks gave up six hits and three runs in six innings, striking out five and walking two. Chicago, which has lost four of five, came up just short and too late. "It wasnt a lack of trying. Sometimes you hit it and its right at people," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura, who was agitated after a 5-1 home loss to Arizona on Sunday, calling it "uninspired" effort. After Abreus homer, Fernando Abad walked Adam Dunn. Then struggling Jim Johnson gave up a double to Viciedo and an RBI single to Alexei Ramirez, setting off another shower of boos. Pinch-hitter Paul Konerkos sacrifice fly sliced Oaklands lead to 5-4 before Doolittle struck out the final two batters for his second save this season. "I think it was important for me tonight not getting caught up in the moment of trying to get the save and stop the bleeding," Doolittle said. The AL-West leading As, coming off a home sweep of Washington, added another layer of frustration for a Chicago team beginning a nine-game road trip that also stops in Houston and Kansas City. The White Sox spent about eight hours on a plane Sunday night because of storms in Chicago that delayed their flight to the Bay Area, then they played a late game on the West Coast. They still started strong but wasted an opportunity to retake the lead when they advanced runners to second and third on Chavezs wild pitch in the fifth. Conor Gillaspie hit a hard line drive with two outs — but right into centre fielder Craig Gentrys glove. Then came Donaldsons drive in the fifth, lining a 2-0 fastball into the seats in left for his eighth home run. Lowrie added a two-run double off reliever Daniel Webb in the seventh to stretch Oaklands lead to 5-1. Chavez kept inducing quick outs and nearly finished the game himself. He had never completed more than seven innings, which he has done three times this year. Chavez has allowed one earned run or fewer in six of his eight starts this season. The As are a 7-1 when he pitches. "We faced him in the spring. Hes good," Dunn said. :Hes going to be around the strike zone. When a guy has that many pitches, you try to get him early. It didnt work out." NOTES Athletics CF Coco Crisp took swings in batting practice before sitting out for the fifth straight game with a strained neck. He is day to day. ... White Sox LHP Chris Sale, out since April 17 because of a strained muscle near his left elbow, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday. ... LHP Drew Pomeranz (2-1, 1.45 ERA) makes his second start for the As opposite Chicagos Scott Carroll on Tuesday. Atlanta Falcons John Cominsky Jersey . The Raptors (15-15) posted six road victories last month and have won seven of their last nine games overall. Toronto visits the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Atlanta Falcons Kendall Sheffield Jersey . Adam LaRoche will take that. "I like our position in the standings and I like how our team is playing," LaRoche said after Washington swept a day-night doubleheader from the Cubs on Saturday. http://www.cheapfalcons.com/117y-cheap-k...ey-falcons.html. Thaddeus Young scored seven of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Evan Turner added 22 points, and the 76ers hung on for their first road win since Nov. 1, beating the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 111-104 on Sunday night. Atlanta Falcons Jerseys China . With one penalty, Fourcade finished in 24 minutes, 58.2 seconds, just nine-tenths of a second ahead of Timofey Lapshin, who shot clean in the cold. Authentic Atlanta Falcons Jerseys . Lexie Lou earned a commanding 4 1/2-length win Sunday in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Kerry, Thursday nights Bruins-Blackhawks game had a goal by Patrice Bergeron initially waved off by the referee, but video review clarified it was a good goal. The situation had Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford scramble behind the net, lose the puck to Brad Marchand, who quickly threw it out to Bergeron who one-timed a shot at the net, and in. During this time, Crawford pushed the back of the net up as the puck crossed the goal line, between the posts. I understand the ruling was that it is a goal as the net didnt come off its post moorings. The question I have, is what if Crawford completely knocked the net off, on his own, as the puck went through? According to the video ruling, they indicated "because the posts remained in place, it was a goal." If the posts didnt remain in place, and the puck went in, wasnt there a rule in place that allows the goal, if the defending team knocks the net off on their own? I know this is also a delay of game penalty but, in a shooting situation, would this have counted, if Crawford knocked the net off just before the puck went in? Thanks, Louie Melissis from Whitby Hi Louie, Once the referee on the goal line waved off an apparent goal scored on a Patrice Bergeron shot that entered the net from the front position and immediately exited under where Corey Crawford had tipped the goal frame forward, the other on-ice officials quickly gathered to share their perspective on the play. During this conference it was determined (and convinced the ref that initially waved it off) that a good goal had resulted and the initial call on the ice was reversed. Video review was then initiated and it was confirmed that the puck did cross the goal line and that the goal frame was considered in its proper position as spelled out in Rule 78.4. (The goal frame shall be considered in its proper position when at least a portion of the flexible peg(s) are still inside both the goal post and the hole in the ice.) Under Rule 38.4 (Situations Subject to Video Review), the video goal judge (Situation Room) is allowed to rule that the puck crossed the goal line and did so prior to the goal frame being dislodged under subsections (i) and (ii).dddddddddddd. If however, Crawford had knocked the net completely off the moorings prior to the puck crossing the goal line, the video goal judge could only advise the referee that the net was off the mooring prior to the puck crossing the goal line. The resulting verdict through the review process could only be "no goal". Louie, situations subject to video review aside, the referee can award a goal under Rule 63.6 when he determines that the goal post is displaced, either deliberately or accidentally, by a defending player, prior to the puck crossing the goal line between the "normal" position of the goalposts. We saw Cam Atkinson of the Columbus Blue Jackets awarded a goal under this rule in their big win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. For a goal to be awarded, the goal post must have been displaced by the actions of a defending player, the puck must have been shot (or the player must be in the act of shooting) at the goal prior to the goalpost being displaced, and it must be determined that the puck would have entered the net between the normal position of the goal posts. On this play, if Crawford had knocked the net completely off its moorings (accidentally or otherwise), it would have required a similar conference by the officials to award a goal since the ref closest to the net did not think that the puck had crossed the line between the goal posts! Video review would not be able to assist them in making this call since it is not reviewable and therefore must be determined by the referee(s) on the ice. I am quite sure the same verdict would have eventually been rendered on the ice and a goal would have been awarded to Bergeron. Boston is really bringing their "A" game at the absolute perfect time of the season. The Caps and Flyers draw the Bruins this weekend in afternoon games. Huge points for playoff standings are on the line this weekend with several meaningful 4-point games; Leafs, Flyers, Blue Jackets, Caps, Wings, Minnesota, Phoenix, Dallas, Vancouver just to name a few! Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the exciting playoff race. 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