SEATTLE -- George Kottaras hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and the Oakland Athletics chased Felix Hernandez early in a 6-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. . Hernandez (13-7) threw 96 pitches in just 4 2-3 innings, his shortest outing since May 16 when he went 3 2-3 innings at Cleveland. He gave up five earned runs, 11 hits -- matching his season high -- walked one and struck out four. It was the second straight loss for the 2010 Cy Young Award winner. He had been 9-1 with a 1.62 ERA in his previous 15 starts since June 17, with five shutouts, including a perfect game on Aug. 15. The victory broke the As three-game losing streak. They trail Texas in the AL West by 4 1-2 games. The As, Yankees and Orioles are all within a half-game of each other on top of the wild card standings. A.J. Griffin (5-0), in his 10th start his rookie season, went 5 1-3 innings to pick up the victory. He gave up one run and six hits, walking one and striking out seven. Cliff Pennington had a season-high four hits for the As. Josh Donaldson drew a one-out walk in the fourth inning and was followed by a Stephen Drew single to set up Kottaras three-run shot, on a 1-1 pitch from Hernandez. It was Kottaras fourth home run. The As touched Hernandez for two runs in the fifth. Donaldson had an RBI double into the left-field corner, as Brandon Moss scored from first. Drew followed with a run-scoring single to right, ending Hernandezs night. The As pushed across an unearned run in the first. Seth Smith reached on a one-out single. With two outs, Yoenis Cespedes blooped a single to right but Thames overran the ball and Smith was waved home on the error. The Mariners got that run back in the second. Michael Saunders led off with a single to centre. With two outs, Luis Jimenez walked and Saunders scored on Brandon Ryans single to right. NOTES: The As will start Dan Straily on Tuesday to fill the spot in the rotation for injured Brandon McCarthy, who was hit by a line drive Wednesday. Straily, who was with the big club earlier this season, was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. "I think he has been through all the firsts. He knows what its all about up here," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Were not afraid to throw some young pitchers out there. We have a lot young starters in the rotation right now. Well just add him to that mix." ... The Mariners started CF Franklin Gutierrez and LF Saunders, a rare game in which both played. Each was coming off an injury while Gutierrez has been out most of the season with various injuries. "Weve essentially got two centre fielders out there, which is nice," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. ... Jimerez, the Mariners 30-year-old rookie callup, got his major league hit, a single in the fourth. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-lance-kendricks-jersey-fk-... Kendricks Jersey . John-Michael Liles could only chuckle in amazement. “Im just sitting there shaking my head like ‘Why cant I do that?” he told TSN. .C. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning werent about to let themselves fall behind on the road again. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-nolan-cromwell-jersey-ly-5... . Brock Dykxhoorn of Goderich, Ont., provided 7 1-3 solid innings on the mound as Canada took first place in Group B with a 4-1 record and sets up a game with the United States late Wednesday in the first of three second-round games. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-matt-giordano-jersey-id-26... Giordano Jersey . Kendrick pitched effectively for 6 2-3 innings and Jimmy Rollins drove in a pair of runs to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night. St. Louis Rams Jersey . LOUIS -- Over and over again, the scene was repeated.LONDON -- NASCAR indefinitely suspended driver A.J. Allmendinger on Tuesday after confirming he violated its substance-abuse policy, putting his career and future with Penske Racing in jeopardy. The suspension came after a test of his backup urine sample confirmed the original positive result. Allmendinger originally was suspended July 7 after failing a random drug test taken in late June. His backup "B" urine sample was tested Tuesday by Aegis Analytical Laboratories in Nashville, Tenn. NASCAR officials announced the result and subsequent suspension Tuesday night. "While not a pleasant experience by any stretch of the imagination, we feel like we have one of the best drug testing programs in sports," NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said. Officials did not announce what substance Allmendinger tested positive for. Allmendinger previously said he tested positive for a stimulant, but did not give specifics. He has denied knowingly taking a banned substance. "This was not the news we wanted to hear and we will work to get to the source of what may have caused this," said Tara Ragan, Allmendingers business manager, in a statement. "To that end, we have secured the services of an independent lab to conduct thorough testing on every product within AJs home and motor coach to find what might collaborate with his test, which created results that were within nanograms of accepted standards. We are working closely with NASCAR and Penske Racing to identify the next action steps in this process." NASCAR officials did not say how far Allmendingers positive test went beyond a predetermined range of acceptable levels -- and as is the case in other sports drug testing programs, officials wouldnt consider it a valid defence if a competitor just barely exceeded acceptable levels of a banned substance. "We choose not to disclose the level," Higdon said. "To us, a violation is a violation, and thats what happened here." Given the indefinite nature of his suspension, Allmendingers only avenue to return to NASCAR is to complete a "road to recovery" program. He will be issued a letter outlining a process for reinstatement, and must agree to the letter to participate in the program. In a statement, Allmendingers Penske Racing team acknowledged it had been notified of the test results. "Penske Racing is very disappointed with the result of the B sample test and will evaluate its course of action as it pertains to AJ over the coming week," the team said. The team said Sam Hornish Jr. will drive the No. 22 car this weekend at Indianapolis and next weekennd at Pocono. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-harvey-dahl-jersey-vv-64.h... Dahl Jersey[/url]. Hornish has filled in for Allmendinger in the past two Sprint Cup Series races. Allmendingers primary sponsors, Shell and Pennzoil, called NASCARs process and procedures "appropriate" in a statement. "We share Penske Racings disappointment with the result of AJs B sample test and will work closely with them to determine plans moving forward," the sponsors said. "We hope for the best for AJ during this difficult time." NASCARs recovery program includes evaluation by a substance abuse professional to create a "road map" leading to a return to competition. The plan can include anything from counselling to in-house treatment and rehabilitation. Additional testing is also required at the program administrators discretion. Once the suspended competitor successfully completes the plan, the program administrator will send a letter to NASCAR recommending reinstatement. Speaking to The Associated Press earlier Tuesday, before Allmendingers B sample results were announced, NASCAR CEO Brian France he is confident in the series drug testing program that once again came under scrutiny after Allmendingers original failed test. "We believe its a strong testing system that works," France told The Associated Press in London, where the NASCAR executive will speak Wednesday at the Beyond Sports Summit. "Weve got the best guy (David Black, Aegis CEO) running the program, and its a solid system that we believe does the job intended." Because Allmendinger has said he tested positive for a stimulant, there has been speculation that it came from a supplement or energy drink consumed by the first-year Penske Racing driver. Allmendinger works out regularly and is known to be health conscious. He is the second Sprint Cup Series driver suspended under the tightened policy implemented in 2009. Jeremy Mayfield was the first driver, and he unsuccessfully sued to have the results overturned. NASCAR does not reveal the substance found in a positive test, but court documents showed it was methamphetamine that Mayfield had in his system. France indicated Tuesday that NASCAR is unlikely to reconsider its policy of not revealing the substance. Ragan thanked fans for supporting Allmendinger. "We continue to be extremely grateful by the breadth and scope of support for AJ from his fans and partners," Ragan said. "We would like to again thank NASCAR, Penske Racing and all our sponsor partners for the open communication, and for helping us at every step in this process. We expect to have further updates in the upcoming days." ' ' '