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ST. Jose Cruz Jersey . LOUIS -- On paper, the Oakland Athletics are the kind of team the St. Louis Cardinals should beat.At 55-72, Oakland is 19 1/2 games out of first place in the American League West and going nowhere fast.However, the games arent played on 8 1/2-by-11 sheets of paper, and the way St. Louis continues to struggle at Busch Stadium, the Athletics look like a threat to play a spoilers role in a three-game weekend series that starts Friday night at Busch Stadium.Fresh off an off day Thursday, Oakland arrived in town after drumming the American League Central-leader Indians two out of three at home, holding Cleveland to a single run in each game. The As also dumped the Baltimore Orioles, an AL East contender, three out of four games at home earlier this month.This has been kind of a theme for us this year, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said after his teams 5-1 win over Cleveland on Wednesday. Weve played well at times against good teams, then not so well against teams that arent as good. I cant figure us out.On the other hand, the Cardinals (67-59) are as easy to read as a rookie quarterbacks eyes. They are the majors best team on the road at 38-24, yet they cant consistently win at home, where their 10-6 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday night dropped them to 29-35.Two frequent bugaboos -- sketchy starting pitching and defense -- hampered them in the latest loss. Adam Wainwright didnt throw well but wasnt helped by a pair of key errors that led to five unearned runs.I wouldnt say thats the whole story, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said of his teams leaky defense. We had a guy throw a good game against us. And thats a lot of runs that youre giving up.The Cardinals are guilty of 88 errors this year, the fourth-highest total in the majors. They also havent made several plays that werent counted as errors yet still extended innings and led to runs.Even so, St. Louis remains 1 1/2 games ahead of the Miami Marlins for the National Leagues second wild-card spot. And with two more long road trips coming up down the stretch, the Cardinals can be excused for liking their chances at notching a sixth consecutive postseason berth.St. Louis will send rookie right-hander Luke Weaver to the mound for his third major league start Friday. The hard-throwing Weaver (0-1, 5.00 ERA) is coming off a 4-2 loss Saturday night in Philadelphia, which nicked him for nine hits and three runs over five innings.He will be facing the As for the first time.The Athletics counter with left-hander Ross Detwiler (1-2, 5.91 ERA overall). He will be making his fourth start with Oakland since he was acquired from the Indians for cash last month, and he is 1-2 with a 5.94 ERA for the As.A product of Wentzville, Mo., about 30 miles west of St. Louis, Detwiler is coming off a 6-2 loss Sunday at the Chicago White Sox, which racked him for 10 hits and six runs over four innings.In five career games (two starts) against the Cardinals, Detwiler is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA. Carlos Lee Jersey . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. George Springer Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http:///...sey-large-1416y.html . Newcastle dominated in the early stages but City weathered the storm and then raised its game in extra time. Negredo broke the deadlock from close range after a simple move in the 99th minute before Dzeko took the ball round goalkeeper Tim Krul to seal the victory in the 105th. Australia will have to win in enemy territory to bring home the Constellation Cup following a two-goal loss to New Zealand in Launceston.After blitzing the opening match in Sydney the Diamonds were shocked by a lift in defensive pressure by the Silver Ferns and fell 53-51.The Australians led by two goals midway through the final quarter but New Zealand wouldnt be denied, with Bailey Mes slotting two goals in the final nine seconds to seal the result.The remaining two Tests are in Auckland on Saturday followed by Invercargill on Thursday Oct 20.Australian coach Lisa Alexander said she was bitterly disappointed after such an impressive win in game one.I did warn (that) the Silver Ferns would come back hard and they did and we didnt adjust, Alexander said.We took quite a while to get our intensity going and we just threw too many balls away.Diamonds skipper Clare McMeniman, playing her final game on Australia soil before retirement, said her team blew their chances.We were intimidated by them and we looked a bit scared at times and thats not who we are and thats the most disappointing thing, McMeniman said.Kiwi Anna Harriison, 33, succeeded where many other goal-keepers have failed in troubling Australias shooting ace Caitlin Bassett. Brian Hunter Jersey. Playing only her second Test since 2014 after having her second child and then battling a calf injury, the extra height and pressure Harrison brought to the circle upset the supply to Bassett.Another veteran in Laura Langman also got the better of Australias star wing attack Madi Robinson.The Diamonds started brightly, running away to a 6-1 lead, but their arch rivals turned up the heat in the second quarter to draw level at 29-29 at halftime.Led by rookie shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit in her sixth Test, New Zealand got out to a five goal lead before Australia closed the margin to 40-42 at the final break.It was new Silver Ferns coach Janine Southbys first win over Australia, who said the team let themselves down in the opening match.We always believe we can do it and this is what we need to prove that and now were looking forward to the next two games, Southby said. ' ' '