Stillwater, OK (Sports Network) - Austin Johnson nailed 5-for-8 from three- point range for a career-high 22 points and Blake Griffin recorded yet another double-double, as the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners hung on to beat rival Oklahoma State, 89-81. . Griffin finished with 26 points and 19 rebounds for Oklahoma (20-1, 6-0 Big 12), which has ripped off eight straight wins since its lone defeat against Arkansas. Juan Pattillo and Willie Warren chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the Sooners, who overcame 23 turnovers by hitting 58.0 percent from the field. Byron Eaton paced the Cowboys (13-6, 2-3) with 20 points and nine assists, while the trio of Obi Muonelo, James Anderson and Keiton Page each contributed 15 points in the clubs third loss in four games. "Youve got to give Oklahoma all the credit," OSU head coach Travis Ford said. "I thought we made a lot of mental mistakes that people may not see, like guys not getting into the plays we called. A lot of mental mistakes as far as guys not being in the right place at the right time." An 11-3 run between the 14- and six-minute marks of the first half ended with the Sooners ahead 28-19, and Cade Davis jumper just before the halftime buzzer had Oklahoma ahead, 39-30, at the break. The margin increased to 14 four minutes into the half, though the Cowboys wouldnt go away quietly. Page scored six straight points -- four from the foul line -- and his three-pointer midway through the half cut Oklahoma States deficit to 59-56. It was still a two-point game when Johnson sunk a trey five feet behind the arc near the seven-minute mark. A little later Pattillo made back-to-back field goals for a 75-68 Oklahoma edge with a little over four minutes to play. Johnson banged home a clutch trey even further back than his previous attempt for a 79-70 lead with 2:30 remaining. Warren added a jumper on Oklahomas next possession, and the Sooners hit their free throws down the stretch to remain ahead by at least two possessions the rest of the way. "Im really proud of our guys to come in here and get a win," Sooners head coach Jeff Capel said. "Its another win on the road, so thats three in the Big 12. We were able to keep our composure with all of the things they were throwing at us...So many guys stepped up and made plays for us." Game Notes Griffin has 17 double-doubles this season...Oklahoma owns a 124-89 series lead over Oklahoma State, and has won six of seven Bedlam meetings...The Cowboys head to Texas A&M to face the Aggies on Saturday, while the Sooners stay on the road with a trip to Iowa State the same day. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-marshall-faulk-jersey-eb-4... Faulk Jersey . Pittsburgh placed right-handed reliever Chad Qualls on the disabled list due to irritation of his left big toe. Takahashi gives the Pirates a second left-hander in the bullpen for the stretch drive, joining Tony Watson. . -- High-scoring Steven Stamkos is not alone when it comes to Tampa Bays offensive attack. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/]http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/... . Inducted into the Hall of Fame last summer after a 19-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, Larkin told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday that players who cheat shouldnt receive baseballs highest individual honour. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-robert-quinn-jersey-sg-93.... Quinn Jersey . Ortiz finished the best April of his career with a pair of solo homers, Mike Aviles hit a three-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 11-6 on Monday night. . -- Mike Moustakas and the Kansas City Royals put on an offensive display that ruined Adam Dunns 400th career homer. BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox have the reliable starter they sought in Ryan Dempster. The Gibsons, B.C., native has pitched at least 200 innings in four of the past five seasons, impressive to general manager Ben Cherington but not so special to Dempster. "Thats your responsibility as a starting pitcher in the big leagues," Dempster said Wednesday at a news conference after his US$26.5 million, two-year deal was finalized. "The norm used to be 300 and somehow we worked it down to like 200. Even 180 seems to suffice." He said he works hard to stay in shape "so that I can take on that workload." Boston had just one starter reach the 200-mark this year, with Jon Lester pitching 205 1-3 innings. "Its important," Cherington said. "Ryans got a history of being very effective and a really good pitcher. The consistency hes shown in taking the ball every fifth day was important to us. I think as a team when you start having to fill in for guys, if we dont have a reliable rotation and you start filling in with guys from down below or guys from the bullpen or whatever, its not so much that move but youve inevitably weakened another area of your team." Dempster gets $13.25 million a year and would earn an additional $250,000 each season for pitching 190 innings. "We went into this off-season wanting to add a proven starter to the rotation, someone that has a history of success, reliability and someone who we thought would embrace coming to Boston and everything that comes with pitching and playing in Boston, on and off the field," Cherington said. "We think Ryan is the perfect fit for that." The 35-year-old right-hander adds experience to a rotation that underachieved this year as the Red Sox went 69-93 and finished last in the AL East in ttheir only season under manager Bobby Valentine. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-alec-ogletree-jersey-ku-35... Ogletree Jersey. He was fired and replaced by John Farrell. "Obviously theres a lot of room to go up," Dempster said. "Ben and the organization have done an incredible job of adding a lot of really good players and good baseball guys. So were just going to go into spring training and work as hard as we can and go out there every day and leave it all on the field and play as hard as we can to get the best out of each other." Lester and Clay Buchholz had disappointing years and John Lackey returns after missing the season following elbow-ligament replacement surgery. Left-hander Felix Doubront was in the rotation for most of the season. Dempster reached the major leagues in 1998 with the Florida Marlins and has a 124-124 record with a 4.33 ERA. A Canadian, he said he is undecided about playing in the World Baseball Classic. But he is confident the Red Sox can reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009. "Thats why we play," he said. "The money and things like that in baseball are great. But I came here because I believe this team has a chance of winning as much as anybody else. Ive always believed that should be your mentality going into any season. Because its proven day in, day out every teams going to win 50 games, every teams going to lose 50 games. Its what you do with the other 62 that matter." He went 12-8 with a 3.38 ERA this year. After starting 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA in his ninth season with the Chicago Cubs, he was traded to the Texas Rangers and went 7-3 with a 5.03 ERA. That was his first stint in the American League. "Its going to be a little bit different not being able to hit," he joked. "Theyre going to miss my bat in the lineup, but well get through that." ' ' '