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OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Rangers impressive stretch of scoreless innings by the pitching staff ended with an emphatic thud Sunday.More importantly, manager Jeff Banisters ballclub missed a chance to hang onto its lead in the race for home-field advantage in the playoffs.Not that theres much concern in Texas clubhouse.With their final six games at Globe Life Park -- where they own the second-best home record in the AL -- the Rangers are still confident heading into the final stretch of the regular season.Its crucial, Banister said after Oakland rookie Jharel Cotton pitched seven crisp innings to beat Rangers 7-1. We need to go home and play clean baseball. We were able to get some guys rest, get some guys off their legs today, so they should be fresh going into tomorrow.The Rangers, who clinched the AL West on Friday, fell into a tie with the Boston Red Sox for home-field advantage in the playoffs. Texas (92-64) holds a slight tiebreaking advantage based on division record and will close out the regular season with a pair of three-game series against Milwaukee and Tampa Bay.Things might not have been so tight had the Rangers been able to do anything against Cotton.Adrian Beltre drove in the only run for Texas with his team-leading 32nd home run in the seventh. It was the 445th career home run for Beltre. The 37-year-old also singled to move past home run king Barry Bonds on the career hits list with 2,937.Beyond that, the Rangers had just two singles and a double.Thats the first time weve seen (Cotton), Banister said. Hes got a special changeup . something we had not seen. When hes got that working for him it does present a challenge when its the first time these guys have seen him.Ryon Healy had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Stephen Vogt drove in three runs to help the As win after being shut out in back-to-back games.Oakland will be sitting out the postseason and had lost the first five games on this homestand, but ended it on an encouraging note behind Cotton (2-0). The rookie right-hander allowed one run, struck out five and faced two over the minimum while quieting the Rangers potent offense.Cotton became the first As pitcher since at least 1913 to start his career with four consecutive starts of five innings or longer while allowing one earned run or less.I feel like it was a Sunday game and they wanted to get away, Cotton said of the Rangers hitters. I was on the mound like, `Thank you. Just keep swinging. That was good for me.Sean Doolittle and Ryan Dull pitched one inning apiece to complete the five-hitter.The As did all of their scoring in the second to chase starter Colby Lewis (6-4).Bruce Maxwell blooped an RBI single just past the outstretched glove of shortstop Hanser Alberto. Marcus Semien scored on a groundout and Vogt lined a three-run double to right before Healys 12th home run, a towering shot that put Oakland up 7-0.That ended a streak of 23 consecutive scoreless innings by Texas pitchers.LEWIS BEATEN BUT ENCOURAGEDLewis, who had won four consecutive games at the Coliseum, lasted just 1 1/3 innings and allowed a season-high seven runs and seven hits. The right-hander has lost four consecutive decisions, three since a two-month stint on the disabled list.I felt great, the best Ive felt in a long time, Lewis said. Thats the way it goes. I feel like I made a lot of good pitches. They just were able to drop balls in where our defenders werent. Thats about it.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: Sonny Gray will come off the disabled list to make his first start in nearly two months against the Angels on Wednesday. Gray has not pitched in a game since Aug. 6 because of a forearm strain.UP NEXTRangers: LHP Martin Perez (10-10) faces the Brewers on Monday when Texas begins its final homestand of the regular season. Perez owns a 2.65 ERA at home, tied for the lowest in the AL among qualifying pitchers.Athletics: Sean Manaea (6-9) starts against the Angels in Anaheim on Monday. The left-handed rookie has not allowed a run in 11 consecutive innings since missing more than two weeks with a sore back.---This story corrects the spelling to Banister throughout. Cheap Jets Jerseys . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Cheap Jets Jerseys China . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.cheapwinnipegjetsjerseys.com/ . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Cheap Adidas Jets Jerseys .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Cheap Jets Jerseys Authentic . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Fred Ross is confident Mississippi States offense is going to be productive this season.Just dont ask the senior receiver what it might look like. Truth is, he doesnt know.Thats because the Bulldogs have an unorthodox four-man quarterback race when preseason practice opens on Tuesday. Even though much of Mississippi States offense will stay the same no matter who is under center, theres no doubt the finished product will be tailored to the man taking the snaps.The skys the limit, Ross said Monday. But weve got to work at it during camp and get everything fixed. I dont know how this offense is going to be, but I do expect it to be good.Sophomore Nick Fitzgerald is one of the early favorites to win the quarterback job after several successful cameo appearances in 2015.As a redshirt freshman backing up senior star Dak Prescott, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Fitzgerald completed nearly 80 percent of his passes for 235 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.But that performance wasnt good enough to earn him the starting job this fall. Instead, hes in a competition that started last spring and will almost certainly be the hottest topic of preseason camp.For the four quarterbacks -- Fitzgerald, sophomore Elijah Staley, junior Damian Williams and redshirt freshman Nick Tiano -- every snap they take during practice will be precious and heavily scrutinized. Coach Dan Mullen said they will all receive about 25 percent of the snaps in the opening days of preseason camp.The Bulldogs opener is at home against South Alabama on Sept. 3.Mullen said hell make a decision on the starting quarterback as soon as it defines itself. Hed like to do that during preseason practice but acknowledged the competition could last deep into the season.dddddddddddd.The eighth-year coach has been clear about the most important trait the eventual starter will possess: consistency.Who has made the improvements over the summer to be the most consistent performer to help us win football games? Mullen said. I think if you watched (all four) you say, `Wow, these guys can make some extraordinary plays.But the biggest thing we need is the guy who can make the play every single snap.The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Ross figures to be one of the most important players on Mississippi States offense no matter who is playing quarterback.Ross led the team with 88 catches for 1,007 yards and five touchdowns last season. Mullen said Ross could be a threat at several different positions because his versatility allows Mississippi States coaches to move him around the field and find good matchups.Another veteran playmaker is senior Brandon Holloway, who was second on the team with 413 yards rushing last year while catching 33 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns.Mississippi State also returns a handful of experienced offensive linemen who will be charged with protecting the new quarterback.Now its just a matter of finding out exactly who that will be. Holloway didnt sound concerned.I think its going to be good, Holloway said. Im waiting to see the outcome as well.---Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '