enter this afternoons tilt playing their best hockey in a w

NEW YORK -- Claimed off waivers in spring training last year, Brad Mills toiled in Triple-A for a couple of teams and even went to Japan before getting another shot in the big leagues. Tuukka Rask Jersey . No wonder he fits in so naturally on the roster full of castoffs and vagabonds that has Oakland on top of the standings. "I definitely fit that mould, you know? Been all over the place," Mills said Wednesday night after beating the New York Mets 8-5 for his first major league victory in almost two years. "Being only five or six days of being here, its very comfortable. I feel like a very big part of the team." Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run double, slumping Brandon Moss had a two-run homer and the As jumped all over an ineffective Zack Wheeler in the first two innings. Coco Crisp homered and had three hits as the AL West leaders built an eight-run cushion for Mills, who took a shutout into the seventh. "I think hes got a good little mix right there that keeps guys off balance really well," Moss said. Oakland, with only a couple of homegrown players, rebounded from its most lopsided loss of the season to split the two-game interleague series, boosting the best record in baseball to 48-30. Mills (1-0) was obtained from Milwaukee for cash last week when fellow left-hander Drew Pomeranz went on the disabled list after breaking his right hand when he punched a chair in frustration. Mills, who had a 1.56 ERA for Triple-A Nashville at the time of the trade, lasted four innings in his As debut last Friday against Boston. He was backed by some fine defence in this one and did not walk a batter over 6 1-3 innings, overcoming some early leg cramps on the way to his fourth big league win. The previous one came on July 8, 2012, when he threw five innings for the Los Angeles Angels in a 6-0 victory over Baltimore. "He did a great job," Moss said. "He definitely fits in. These guys, our front office here, they do their homework before they go and get a guy." Sean Doolittle struck out all three hitters in the ninth for his 11th save, extending his scoreless streak to 25 1-3 innings. He has retired 37 of his last 38 batters -- and racked up 53 strikeouts against one walk in 37 innings this season. Pinch-hitter Lucas Duda chased Mills with a three-run homer in the seventh. Chris Young connected for a two-run shot in the eighth, his third home run in two nights. Curtis Granderson added three hits for the Mets, who had won three straight and five of six. It was their sixth three-game winning streak of the season, but they havent won four in a row since July 7-10 last year. Wheeler (3-8) followed up the best outing of his brief career with his worst. "He just didnt bounce back," manager Terry Collins said. "He struggled with all of his pitches. ... I have never seen him get hit that hard." Coming off a three-hitter in a 1-0 win at Miami last Thursday, his first complete game in the majors, the 24-year-old Wheeler had command problems right away. He missed badly with his first two pitches in the first inning to Moss, who drove the next one deep into the second deck in right field for his 18th home run. Wheeler issued a leadoff walk to Josh Reddick in the second and another free pass after Crisps RBI single. Cespedes followed by lining a bases-loaded double down the left-field line to make it 6-0. Convinced the As were picking up signs, Wheeler called catcher Travis dArnaud out to the mound and struck out the next two batters. "They were onto my signs in the second. Its my fault for not catching onto it sooner. The next few pitches after we changed them up were good. When somebody turns on a 96 mph fastball, they probably knew it was coming," Wheeler said. "It was just a bad outing." When the Mets loaded the bases in the bottom half, Wheeler was lifted for a pinch-hitter. He was tagged for six hits and a career-high six earned runs in two innings, the shortest of his 33 career starts. Crisp hit a solo homer in the fourth off Dana Eveland. "Cocos our igniter. Usually when were playing well, hes playing well," manager Bob Melvin said. NOTES: Derek Norris was held out of Oaklands starting lineup for the second consecutive night after leaving Sundays game when he was hit in the head by a backswing. He entered behind the plate in the ninth. Before the game, Melvin said Norris was feeling better and was on target to start Friday night in Miami. ... The As clinched their 13th consecutive winning month, tying the longest streak in Oakland history (1970-72). The previous team to have a run that long was Boston (July 2004 to July 2006). ... After the game, New York optioned backup infielder Wilmer Flores to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for CF Juan Lagares (right ribcage), who will be activated from the disabled list Thursday before the Mets open a four-game series in Pittsburgh. Tim Schaller Jersey . -- Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, shot a 2-under 69 on Tuesday to finish first in stroke-play qualifying at the Womens U. David Pastrnak Jersey . Peter Dawson took his long before he started the job. "I was playing an American one year at Oxford Golf Club, and he introduced me to this travelling mulligan," Dawson said. http://www.bruinshockeypro.com/authentic-patrice-bergeron-bruins-jersey/ .com) - Rakeem Christmas scored 21 points, B.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Carolina Hurricanes hope to use their recent success against the Philadelphia Flyers to end a four-game slide, as the Metropolitan Division rivals meet Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love. Carolina has lost four straight in regulation and dropped the opener of a three-game road trip Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Hurricanes have scored just one goal in each of their last four games, but the club was able to dial up the offense at a prolific rate the last time they visited Philadelphia. The Canes won all four meetings against the Flyers in 2013-14, culminating the season series sweep with a 6-5 shootout win at the Wells Fargo Center on April 13. The victory pushed Carolinas record in Philly to 3-1-1 over the last five meetings. The Flyers, however, enter this afternoons tilt playing their best hockey in a while. Philadelphia, which hasnt put together consecutive wins since early November, has posted victories in two of its last three games and also is on a four-game point streak (2-0-2). Philadelphia earned a 4-1 win in its most recent outing, beating the New Jersey Devils in the opener of a four-game stay at Wells Fargo Center. Matt Read and Sean Couturier picked up a goal and assist each to lead the Flyers to a much-needed win. Read recorded just his third goal of the season and also ended an eight-game point drought. He had 22 goals and 18 assists in 75 games for the Flyers last season, and hopes Thursdays performance can get his offensive game back on track. Just keep doing the little things right and eventually somethings going to go your way, Read noted. Its good to get one but you have to work hard every night and do the little things right and do the little thinngs to help your team win. Brad Marchand Jersey. Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek also lit the lamp for the Flyers, who kicked off their final homestand of calendar year 2014. After Craig Berubes club finishes this homestand it will head out on an eight-game road trip before finally returning to South Philly on Jan. 6 to face Ottawa. Claude Giroux and Mark Streit chipped in a pair of assists to back a 17-save effort by Ray Emery. Steve Mason is expected to man the crease today for the Flyers. He is 5-2-1 with a 2.00 goals against average in eight career games against Carolina. The Hurricanes also were last in action on Thursday when they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Lightning. It was a tough loss for Carolina, which was tied with Tampa heading into the final minute of regulation before Nikita Kucherov supplied the game-winner for the hosts with 30.3 seconds left. Kucherovs second goal of the contest was a fluke deflection. He appeared to attempt a pass across from the left circle, but the puck instead changed direction off the skate of Hurricanes defenseman Ron Hainsey in the slot and slid over the goal line. Justin Faulk tallied and Cam Ward made 25 saves for the Hurricanes, who have lost three games by one-goal margins during their current 0-4 slide. We shouldve capitalized on more than just the one goal, said Ward. Carolina, which will cap its swing Tuesday in Montreal, fell to 3-10-2 as the visiting team. Ward could start again today despite owning a 5-10-3 mark and 3.16 GAA in his career against Philadelphia. Fellow Carolina backstop Anton Khudobin is 4-1-0 with a 2.54 GAA in five career outings versus the Flyers. The Hurricanes enter Saturday last in the Metro -- six points behind the Flyers. Cheap Jerseys Store Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap NFL Black Jerseys China Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Camo China NFL Jerseys ' ' '