OAKLAND, Calif. Jacques Plante Jersey . -- James Shields pitched quite a gem for Kansas City. It certainly helped that Oakland abandoned its usual patient approach at the plate. Shields pitched eight sharp innings for his first win in nearly a month, and the Royals beat the Athletics 4-2 on Sunday. "This team was a free-hacking team today, which is not really their game," Shields said. "They have a bunch of hitters over there that were being aggressive and I was able to execute my pitches early in the count." Shields retired his first 15 batters before Josh Reddick hit a leadoff homer in the sixth. Alberto Callaspo then had a one-out single before Sam Fuld lined into a double play. The 32-year-old Shields (10-6) allowed two runs and four hits. He walked none for the fifth time this season. "You watch the way that hes pitching, its like, OK boys, lets just give him a couple runs and hell take it from there," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "A good indicator for him was he was managing his pitch count." Shields threw 102 pitches while helping the Royals to their ninth win in 12 games. "As far as Im concerned we can match up with anyone, any team, any starting rotation," Shields said. "As long as we go toe to toe with those guys were going to be in every game." Reddick homered twice, getting to Shields again in the eighth. The As have the best record in baseball at 67-43, but have sputtered offensively since trading cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes to Boston on Thursday in a deal for ace Jon Lester. They lead the stacked AL West by one game over the Los Angeles Angels, who beat Tampa Bay 7-5 on Sunday. Oakland was without injured leadoff hitter Coco Crisp, though it hardly mattered the way Shields was pitching. Shields allowed only three balls out of the infield through the first five innings. One of them was a deep fly to centre by Josh Donaldson in the first, the closest Oakland came to getting a man on base before Reddicks home run. "We just havent been our best offensively here," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Shields was using all his pitches, going to the change, to the cutter, and he had good command." Shields got his first win since he beat his former team, Tampa Bay, on July 7. Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his AL-leading 31st save. Nori Aokis RBI single in the fifth gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead. Omar Infante followed with a two-run double and later scored on a single by Salvador Perez. All the runs came against Scott Kazmir (12-4). Reddick has four home runs since coming off the disabled list July 22. Its the sixth multihomer game of his career and second this season. KAZMIRS STREAK AT HOME ENDS Kazmir lost at the Oakland Coliseum for just the second time this season. Its also the first time since June 24 that the left-hander allowed more than two earned runs. CLOSING IN ON 800 It was Yosts 798th win as a manager, moving him one ahead of Melvin for 76th on the career list. TRAINERS ROOM Athletics: Infielder Nick Punto was placed on the 15-day disabled list after he strained a hamstring rounding third base on Saturday. ... Crisp (neck) took swings in the batting cage but there is still no timetable for his return. Crisp has not played since July 26. ON DECK Royals: Left-hander Danny Duffy (5-10) pitches the series opener in Arizona on Tuesday. Duffys 2.42 ERA is the fourth-lowest in the AL among pitchers with at least 100 innings. Athletics: Right-hander Jeff Samardzija (2-1), who has allowed at least one home run in each of his previous four outings, starts against Tampa Bay on Monday. Paul Byron Jersey .S. Basketball Writers Association. McDermott, who finished his career at Creighton as college basketballs fifth-leading scorer, accepted the honour from Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson at AT&T Stadium, site of the Final Four. Shea Weber Canadiens Jersey . Its other five picks were all six foot or better, with three at 6-1 or above. Third-round pick Brett Lernout stands six foot four and weighs 206 pounds. http://www.canadienssale.com/authentic-larry-robinson-canadiens-jersey/ .com) - The Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors are back in the great white north for a brief moment and will host the Dallas Mavericks Friday night from Air Canada Centre.BERLIN -- Klaas Jun Huntelaar scored twice as Schalke came from behind to salvage a 3-3 draw against visiting Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The Dutch striker opened the scoring within two minutes, when Julian Draxler sent a perfect pass for him to surprise Rena Adler with a 20-meter (yard) shot. The visitors were given some help in the 12th when Joel Matip was adjudged to have handled the ball from Marcell Jansens cross, and Rafael van der Vaart duly converted from the penalty spot. Draxler had to go off in the 23rd with what appeared to be an injury to his left foot, allowing the highly rated Leon Goretzka to come on for his Bundesliga debut. It got worse for Schalke a minute later, when Maximilian Beister crashed his header off the crossbar. The rebound bounced in front of the line, against unfortunate goalkeeper Timo Hildebrandt and into the net. Huntelaar equalized just before the break, however, meeting Christian Fuchs cross to head unopposed past Adler. Beister should have scored his second only to be denied by Hildebrandt, but Lasse Sobiech put Hamburg 3-2 up with a header from a poorly defended corner in the 49th. "We start by conceding three goals at home. Thats way too many. We werent in the game at all in the first half," Schalke coach Jens Keller said. "But we did a lot right in the second half." Adler denied substitute Adam Szalai from close range in the 69th, but the Hungarian striker pounced to score in the 72nd, when the goalkeeper failed to hold on to Christian Clemens long-range shot. "We ffell asleep for two of the goals. Henri Richard Canadiens Jersey. It shouldnt happen but it did, unfortunately," Van der Vaart said. "Otherwise we played very well." Huntelaar became father to a baby girl on Tuesday, but was left dissatisfied despite his two goals. "Normally we have to win at home. Were not happy about that," Huntelaar said. Earlier, Japan striker Shinji Okazaki scored on his Bundesliga debut for Mainz in a 3-2 win over his former side Stuttgart. "Shinji was very unlucky with us last year," Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia said. "The goal that he now scores against us was offside. The referee gave an unfortunate performance. I told him this quite factually." Nicolai Mueller scored twice for the home side, opening his account in the 14th minute when he dispossessed Gotoku Sakai, skipped past Benedikt Roecker and shot inside the right post. Vedad Ibisevic equalized two minutes later with one touch from Ibrahima Traores cross. Okazaki put Stuttgart back in front in the 65th, latching on to Zdenek Pospechs cross, turning inside a defender and sending the ball inside the post. TV replays showed the forward was marginally offside when he received the ball. Mueller grabbed his second in the 78th, four minutes before Martin Harnik scored what proved to be a consolation. "We deserved the three points but it was a thick plank to drill through," Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel said. "I think its noteworthy that Stuttgart are no longer automatically the favourites when they come to us." ' ' '