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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Third baseman Josh Donaldson sees plenty of similarities between this Oakland team and the one that stunned the Texas Rangers on the seasons final day last fall. Going on a year after the Athletics made their remarkable turnaround and their push to a surprising AL West title, the defending division champions are on a roll again. "Its contagious, winning, you know? Its about confidence," closer Grant Balfour said. "You see a guy get a big hit and the next guy comes up and does his job. Youre going to have your battles some nights, but that little thing, whatever it is to get over the edge and win that ballgame, is what were doing right now. Its been big." The As have had their share of struggles in the first half, too, not so different from all of those Oakland teams of the past that took off after the All-Star break. While Oakland (38-27) dropped the final two games of its seven-game road trip in Chicago, the As have won seven of 10 and 18 of 23. They entered Mondays off day a half-game back in the AL West race behind Texas (37-25). Starting Tuesday night, the As will get another tough home test when the New York Yankees visit the Coliseum for a three-game series. Less than three weeks ago, things didnt look so good. The As returned from a rough 3-7 road trip and lost for the eighth time in 10 games in a 3-1 home defeat to the Rangers on May 22. Oakland then rattled off a five-game winning streak that featured a three-game sweep at Houston and won the first three in a four-game Bay Bridge Series against the 2012 World Series champion San Francisco Giants. Significant progress by the starting pitchers has been a big part of the recent run. "Theres no doubt thats been a key for us," manager Bob Melvin said. "Earlier in the season, the offence was ruling the day, we were scoring a lot of runs and making up for the ERA as a team were not used to looking at. All of a sudden you come into closer games and were giving up some runs earlier in the game and its a little different story." In those tight games, Oakland is showing some of the late-game magic that helped define last years special season, when the As became the first team in major league history to win a division or pennant after trailing by five games with less than 10 to play. Adam Rosales hit a two-out homer in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win over the White Sox in Chicago on Thursday night -- and he had already hit a go-ahead shot leading off the eighth inning of a 2-1 home victory over the Kansas City Royals on May 17. Oakland has 10 wins in games decided in the final at-bat. "This is kind of more of the recipe we did last year," Donaldson said. "We know we have the guys here who can pitch. Early on they kind of got off to a little rough start and the bats were able to pick them up. But lately whats been separating us from the other teams is our pitching by far -- from the starter to every reliever that comes in and Balfour shutting the door. This is something were definitely going to have to do over the course of the year." Not that Balfour is interested in hearing about his run of saves, 15 in as many chances this year and 33 in a row going back to April 29, 2012, at Baltimore. He is the only closer in the American League without a blown save this season. "I dont know, man. Dont ask me," he said. "Dont talk to me about that. I dont talk about me, Ill talk about the team." And this team has shown some serious resilience dating back to last summer. The As -- with the lowest payroll in baseball last year at $59.5 million -- trailed Texas by 13 games on June 30, 2012. With the fourth-lowest payroll on opening day in the majors this season at nearly $65.5 million, Melvins blue-collar bunch is showing that the As arent content with last falls playoff run. With a majors-best 14 walkoff wins in 2012, Oakland went 94-68 to end a five-year playoff drought. As it has for so long with this club, the pitching is setting the tone again. "I think its something where were feeding off each other," Jarrod Parker said. "This team is built around pitching and defence. Its something where were able to keep our team in the game and at any point weve got some big bats and were able to scratch runs across. I think for us to be solid is what we need, not to be spectacular. We know who we are and we dont try to panic or press. For us to just stay within ourselves and do what were capable of and things will happen." Oaklands starting pitchers have allowed one run or fewer in 11 of their last 23 games, going 13-3 during that stretch. "You cant say enough about these guys and the work they put in," catcher Derek Norris said. "Sum it up to Oakland As baseball. This is what we do well -- we have a good starting rotation, scratch a couple runs across and close the door with our bullpen. Thats what we strive to be, and were doing a great job of it." Balfour and his bullpen mates sure enjoy watching the starters, then backing them up in the late innings. In three recent home games against the White Sox, Oakland held Chicago to three total runs with two shutouts. "You couldnt ask for any more than that," Balfour said. "Its awesome to watch."Cleveland Indians Store . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Custom Cleveland Indians Jerseys .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/ . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Cleveland Indians Pro Shop . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Cheap Indians Jerseys . 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.Ireland boxer Michael OReilly has been ruled out of the Rio Olympics after electing not to contest a provisional suspension imposed upon him for a positive drugs test.The Olympic Council of Ireland announced the 23-year-old, who had been due to begin his campaign in the middleweight division, will not compete.In a statement the OCI said: The OCI can today confirm that Michael OReilly is no longer contesting the provisional suspension imposed on him on the 4 August 2016 and will not compete for Team Ireland at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.OReilly underwent a random test conducted by Sport Ireland prior to flying out to Brazil with the rest of the boxing team, and was informed of the test results on August 4.Since then he was forced to stay outside the Olympic Village and have no contact with his teammates as he considered whether to appeal the results and request a B sample.ddddddddddddOReilly was considered one of Irelands strongest hopes for a boxing medal after winning gold at the inaugural European Games in Baku last year.But he had had discipline problems in the past and was one of two Irish boxers fined and sent home from the European Olympic qualifying tournament in May for breaking team rules.It is the latest blow for the Irish team in Rio after the shock defeat of their captain and two-time Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes in his opening light-flyweight bout on Monday. 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