Coffs Harbour for the first time on Wednesday morning in

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Houston Astros remain in the thick of the AL wild-card race, thanks to a pair of big swings from Evan Gattis and a clutch throw by catcher Jason Castro.Gattis homered twice, Castro threw out a runner to end the game and the contending Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 6-5 on Wednesday to complete a sweep.Just trying to finish strong, said Gattis, speaking both of himself and the Astros. You dont want to limp out of the season. You kind of want to sprint, you know?Houston has been sprinting ever since a 1-6 stretch that ended Sept. 13.The Astros, who began the day two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild-card spot, have won five of six since then.They had to sweat out their latest win after giving up an unearned run in the ninth.Oakland scored on second baseman Jose Altuves fielding error with two outs to pull within 6-5. Castro then threw out pinch runner Arismendy Alcantara trying to steal second, and the call was upheld on a replay review.I dont think (Alcantara) got his best jump on that one but thats what hes in there for and Castro made a good throw, As manager Bob Melvin said.Collin McHugh (12-10) won his fifth straight decision, allowing two runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings. Five relievers combined to record the final 10 outs, with former As setup man Luke Gregerson retiring three batters for his 15th save.We just need to beat the teams that we should beat, and I think this is one of them, Gregerson said. We need to keep winning, keep us in the wild card and hopefully keep getting bumped up.Gattis reached 30 homers. He hit a two-run drive in the sixth off Daniel Mengden (2-8) for a 4-1 lead and connected again in the eighth.Carlos Correa had two hits, including an RBI double, and Altuve singled twice and scored a run. Gattis homered for third time in three days to finish the three-game sweep.Really just trying to stay inside the ball and behind it instead of trying to come around, Gattis said. There are a lot more outs at the end of the bat.The Astros scored their first run without a hit in the fifth and added three more in the sixth.Altuve, the ALs leading hitter, had a one-out single and scored the go-ahead run on Correas double. Gattis followed with a home run.Gattis homer in the eighth was a towering shot that hit off the fa?ade underneath the luxury suites in center field.Danny Valencia singled and scored twice for the As. Oakland has lost the first three games on its final homestand after an impressive 6-1 road trip.MENGDEN WEARS DOWNMengden needed only 26 pitches to get through the first three innings and didnt give up a hit until Yuli Gurriels one-out single in the fourth before things quickly unraveled. He allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and two walks.SEPTEMBER STRONGMcHugh won for the third time in four starts this month and improved to 11-0 in September since 2014.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: OF Colby Rasmus missed his third straight game because of a lot of different physical issues, according to manager A.J. Hinch. Rasmus missed 23 games earlier this season after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst in his right ear. ... Preston Tucker was scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday and the team is confident the outfielder will be healed in time for spring training.Athletics: OF Khris Davis missed his second straight game after being a late scratch Tuesday because of an illness. ... Reliever J.B. Wendelken will seek a second opinion on his right elbow but Melvin indicated its likely Wendelken will undergo Tommy John surgery.UP NEXTAstros: RHP Mike Fiers (11-7) faces the Angels in Anaheim on Thursday in the opener of a four-game series. Fiers has a 4.06 ERA over his previous 19 starts.Athletics: Kendall Graveman (10-10) starts against Texas on Friday at the Coliseum. The right-hander is winless since Aug. 24. Tom Koehler Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt 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. Daniel Hudson Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-tim-locastro-jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Alex Verdugo Jersey . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Cheap Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Wade Graham is set to reprise the ruthless shutdown role on Johnathan Thurston that earned him his State of Origin suspension, when the Cronulla star finally does make his interstate debut.Grahams relentless and in your face defence on Thurston helped set up the Sharks dramatic 13-10, round 14 win over North Queensland.However it also resulted in his suspension from Origin II, due to a high tackle on the Queensland playmaker.The 25-year-old Graham will make his debut in next weeks final Origin match for the season.And with the likes of Beau Scott and Greg Bird no longer part of the Blues set-up, Graham could be handed the biggest of defensive tasks for the Blues, containing the worlds best player in Thurston in captain Paul Gallens final interstate game.Loz will come up with a game plan and see what Wade can do, Gallen said.He brings something different to this team. He has that passing game, that kicking game, a lot more skill than most backrowers and that toughness too.Loz will come up with a game plan he can use that skill.The Blues flew to their Coffs Harbour base on Tuesday morning.Coach Laurie Daley took the side through a video session on Tuesday afternoon as the Blues dissected their series losing ggame two defeat in Brisbane.ddddddddddddNSW will train in Coffs Harbour for the first time on Wednesday morning in what is probably the last time they will be based in the northern NSW town.For the time being Graham is simply enjoying his time in camp.I havent really thought about the game all that much, I am just soaking it up at the moment, he said.NSW expect Queensland to take them on up the middle, after coach Kevin Walters changed the Maroons tried and true tactic of having a utility and three forwards on the bench.In the absence of Michael Morgan and Josh Papalii through injury, Gavin Cooper and Nate Myles have been added to the visitors bench leaving them with four interchange forwards.For the Blues centre Josh Dugan will play his first game this series, after missing the first two due to injury.I think they are going to try and match our forwards, Dugan said.Our forwards have done a pretty good job in the first two games and we have just let them slip both times.Having our forwards on the bench with Jack Bird, he really added that spark in game two, will be interesting. 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