defeat on themselves with their inability to retain possession.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are doing the little things to win the close games.Manager Clint Hurdle calls the first half two good months of baseball and one that was complicated.David Freese hit a go-ahead single in the top of the 10th inning, and the Pirates beat the Oakland Athletics 4-2 on Saturday night for their third straight win.Erik Kratz led off the inning with a single against Daniel Coulombe (1-1), Jordy Mercer sacrificed him over and Freese singled to left. As left fielder Coco Crisp threw out Freese at home on Adam Fraziers single moments later, and the play was upheld on an umpire review.Gregory Polanco added an insurance RBI single.I just like the grit in my club, Hurdle said. Offensively, we scratched.Juan Nicasio (6-6) struck out two in the ninth for the victory, then Mark Melancon allowed a pair of singles before finishing for his 23rd save as the Pirates won for the sixth time in eight games after dropping eight of nine.Pittsburgh also has won the last three meetings against the As after losing the initial 11.As reliever Ryan Madson had runners on second and third in the ninth following a double steal but retired Sean Rodriguez on a popup and induced Josh Harrisons groundout. The Pirates challenged whether Danny Valencias throw from third to first was in time, but the call was confirmed in 1 minute, 55 seconds.Jed Lowrie had a sacrifice fly and Josh Reddick an RBI single in the third for Oakland, one of his career-high matching four hits. His double in the fifth got stuck in the outfield wall and wasnt ruled a ground-rule double, preventing a run from scoring.It was very frustrating. Could have won the game, he said. Over the years Ive obviously seen (the hole) but never really paid attention to it. After it happened I went out there and it was literally a three-inch gap to put a baseball in. Never hit a hole in one before even in golf so I guess this is going to have to count.Harrison hit an RBI double and Starling Marte a run-scoring single in the fourth as Pittsburgh tied the game at 2.Mercer led off the game with a double on a ball that got lost in the sun and dropped in shallow right field between three As players.Rich Hill came off the disabled list to strike out six while pitching four-hit ball over six innings in his first outing since May 29 after being sidelined with a strained left groin. He had a five-start winning streak since losing May 1 to Houston.Hill allowed two runs on four hits and walked two, limited to 83 pitches based on how much time he missed.Pirates right-hander Chad Kuhl gave up seven hits and two runs, struck out two and didnt walk a batter in six innings. It was his second major league start after beating Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers in his debut -- and he got the nerves and any awe factor out then.Now it wasnt my first time anymore, he said. Just another day at the yard.Crisp hit his 300th career double in the third and extended his hitting streak to nine games.The As ended a stretch of hitting a home run in a season-best 10 straight games, playing their first extra-inning game at home after 60 without one since Aug. 18 last year against the Dodgers.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (triceps strain) shadow threw in the bullpen a day after a simulated game. ... The Pirates have gone a week without a roster move. Shhh, shhh, Hurdle said. Its been welcome.Athletics: Oakland agreed to terms with versatile, 17-year-old Cuban OF Lazaro Armenteros on Saturday. He receives a $3 million signing bonus. The As also agreed to terms with Dominican players 3B George Bell, SS Marcos Brito, SS Yerdel Vargas, and CF Kevin Richards. All of the new acquisitions will report to the clubs Dominican training facility and later to Arizona for instructional league this fall. Organizationally, its a big day, manager Bob Melvin said.UP NEXTPirates: In his last start against the As, Sunday starter LHP Francisco Liriano (4-8, 5.33 ERA) pitched seven scoreless innings in a 5-0 win on July 10, 2013.Athletics: RHP Daniel Mengden (1-3, 2.81) makes his fifth big league start and is coming off his first major league win last Monday at San Francisco. He is the eighth pitcher in Oakland history to allow three or fewer runs in each of his initial four starts. Cavaliers Jerseys From China . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Youth Cavaliers Jerseys . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. http://www.cheapcavaliersjerseyschina.com/ . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Collin Sexton Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Womens Cavaliers Jerseys . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Hold that phone. Just when the NRL top-four race looked done, Brisbane re-ignited the contest with a 20-10 win over Canterbury on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium.The Broncos third consecutive win lifts them to fifth on the ladder with 30 points, just two behind the Bulldogs, with two rounds of the home-and-away season to go.Canterbury face sixth-placed North Queensland (28pts) next weekend in a game which will also have a huge bearing on the top-four positions.Despite the potential distraction of a club investigation into an alleged drunken incident involving centre James Roberts last weekend, Brisbane started brightly against an opponent who thrashed them 40-14 in round 16.Tom Opacics opener in the 12th minute put the Broncos on their way before the visitors struck back with Brett Morris fourth try of the season against Brisbane.Broncos halfback Ben Hunt made the most of a fortunate bounce off Bulldogs hooker Michael Lichaa right on the stroke of halftime to give the hosts a 10-4 lead.Brisbane then absorbed a Bulldogs onslaught at the start of the second half before Sam Thaiday crashed over in the 57th minute to give the Broncos a 16-4 lead.Sam Kasiano responded for the Bulldogs 12 minutes later but that was the end of the scoring.The giant Bulldogs forward might also find himself in hot wateer after appearing to kick Brisbane captain Corey Parker in the face late in the game - an incident which left the Broncos livid.ddddddddddddasiano said I didnt mean it ... sorry, when he shook hands with Parker after the match.Brisbane winger Corey Oates failed to finish the match after he copped a heavy knock to his cheek midway through the second half.Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett said whether Kasianos kick was deliberate or not, it certainly caused concern in the Broncos camp.Well, Coreys getting stitches now in his face, Bennett said.If he (Kasiano) didnt do it with force, I dont think hed be getting stitches in his face.Ill leave it to the NRL to make their judgment on it.Bulldogs coach Des Hasler refused to speculate on the incident, saying hed leave it to the match review committee to make a ruling.Hasler was livid with his teams poor completion in the second half, saying theyd brought the defeat on themselves with their inability to retain possession.To put it bluntly, we were inept with the ball in the second half, he said.In the last month, last five weeks, its just crept back in. If we dont react to it and we dont sort it out, then you cant be c