ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels received a big lift from Jered Weaver in his timely return to the mound. Weaver allowed just two hits over seven innings, helping the Angels avoid a four-game sweep by the Oakland Athletics with a 6-0 victory Thursday. Torii Hunter homered and added an RBI single in a six-run seventh. "Obviously we didnt want to get swept. Things didnt go the way we wanted them to the first three games, but those guys are playing good baseball and you cant take them lightly," Weaver said. "These guys are always scrappy, so its going to be interesting down the stretch," Weaver (17-4) struck out nine in his first start since skipping a turn in the rotation because of biceps tendinitis, which was detected in an MRI after he was struck on his pitching arm by a line drive off the bat of Seattles Dustin Ackley on Sept. 2. "There was no discomfort at all. I felt free and easy," Weaver said after his 94-pitch effort. "Its usually the (middle of the game) where it starts tightening up, and its tough to go back out there and warm up again. But I didnt have that issue today. Its definitely comforting, knowing that you came out of the game throwing close to a hundred pitches and still feel good." The only hits for the As were a first-inning single by Josh Reddick and a third-inning double by Jemile Weeks after centre fielder Mike Trout stumbled while chasing the ball in right-centre. "I was antsy to get out there, no doubt about it," Weaver said. "It was disappointing to miss a start, but luckily it was only one and I was able to get healthy again. It was nice to be able to throw up some zeros. I was just trying to get a feel for the game again and tried to locate. After the first strikeout you kind of feel a little bit more comfortable, and after that its time to go to work." The All-Star right-hander has four starts remaining in his attempt to become the fourth 20-game winner in Angels history and first since 2005 -- when Bartolo Colon won 21 and the AL Cy Young Award. Clyde Wright had 20 wins for the 1970 club and Nolan Ryan had 22 in 1974. The loss snapped Oaklands 12-game road winning streak, two shy of the franchise record set in May 1931. The As were shut out for the 16 time this season, the most in the majors. Brett Anderson (4-1) was charged with five runs and nine hits over 6 2-3 innings in his fifth start since returning from Tommy John surgery on July 14, 2011. The left-hander is 2-20 in 33 career starts when getting fewer than three runs of support while he is in the game, as opposed to a 23-4 record when his teammates score three or more before he departs. "Obviously, you knew it was going to be a tough day, going up against one of the best pitchers in baseball. But you want to go out there and prove yourself and try to match him pitch for pitch," Anderson said after his ERA rose from 0.69 to 1.93. "I was able to do that through six, but I got a little tired in the seventh and fell behind. But for the most part, I was happy with the way I battled and got out of some jams." Hunter led off the seventh with his 15th homer, driving a 2-0 pitch to right-centre for the first home run allowed by Anderson in 27 innings this season. "Weave pitched a tremendous game, and he was just waiting for us to do something," Hunter said. "The home run came on a two-seam fastball away. I was kind of looking for a pitch out over the plate, but I was able to get extension and drive it. I wasnt thinking about hitting a home run at all. I just wanted to hit it hard, get on base for the guys behind me and get something started." Erick Aybar doubled one out later and scored on a single by Mark Trumbo. A single by Vernon Wells and a two-out walk to Trout loaded the bases for Alberto Callaspo, who greeted Jesse Chavez with a two-run single. Trout scored his major league-leading 115th run on a passed ball by George Kottaras before Hunter added his run-scoring single. Hunter, who was 3 for 4 in the cleanup spot with Kendrys Morales getting the day off, is batting .351 since the All-Star break with five homers and 41 RBIs. "My whole career Ive been a strong second-half hitter because I make adjustments. Thats what baseball is all about, and thats what Ive been able to do it with the Twins and with the Angels," Hunter said. "And because were close to the playoffs, I think I go to another level and get that different adrenaline flow in the second half. Thats what drives me." Weaver recorded six of his first seven outs on strikeouts. The As twice got a runner as far as second, but Wells made a sprinting catch of Seth Smiths flyball inside the left field foul line to strand Weeks in the third. Weaver stranded Josh Donaldson in the fifth by striking out Cliff Pennington and retiring Weeks on a flyball. NOTES: As rookie LF Yoenis Cespedes left the game midway through the fifth inning because of a sprained right wrist. ... Weaver has made 98 starts, pitched 661 1-3 innings and faced 2,624 batters since giving up his last intentional walk -- to Kansas Citys Mark Teahen on Sept. 4, 2009, at Kaufman Stadium. ... Four more RBIs will make Albert Pujols the 14th Angels player to drive in 100 runs and hit 30 homers in the same season. ... Oakland won the season series 10-9. Pennington had only one RBI in 51 at-bats against the Halos this year, a home run Monday night against Dan Haren. ... Oaklands starters have walked three batters or fewer in 42 consecutive games, tying the Oakland record set in 2001 when Rick Peterson was the pitching coach under manager Art Howe. Mar... Kruger Jersey . Calvin Johnson was forced to settle for what he could get. Andre... Shaw Jersey . He settled instead for his first win in seven weeks, and that was plenty satisfying. Maholm allowed just four hits, pitched into the ninth inning and benefited from three homers and some good defence Friday, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros. http://www.blackhawkshockeyproshop.... . Inning-by-inning 1st: Barry Zito opened the game by getting leadoff hitter Austin Jackson to fly out before Omar Infante singled up the middle. [url=http://www.blackhawkshockeyproshop.com/Patrick-Kane-Blackhawks-Jersey/]Patr... Kane Jersey . The 27-year-old Cousins spent parts of three seasons with the Marlins, posting a .183 average with two home runs and nine RBI in 175 at-bats. The Reno, Nevada native played the majority of last season with New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League (AAA), recording a . Deni... Savard Blackhawks Jersey . The Thunder Bay, Ont., cyclist and pilot Lyne Bessette from Knowlton, Que.ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Zach Parise scored his first goal with Minnesota. But Josh Hardings seventh career shutout was even bigger news in the Wilds 1-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. It was his first start since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Harding became one of Minnesotas feel-good stories last year when the team announced his intention to manage his illness and continue playing. Earlier in the summer, he passed on the chance to leave and instead re-signed with the Wild to play behind Niklas Backstrom again. "I cant say enough and I cant thank them enough for how good the team has been from the top down," Harding said. "Im not just talking about the players, Im talking about management, Im talking about everybody. Its one of the reasons I signed back here. This is a family and I cant say enough about each and every guy in here." Harding stopped all 24 shots he faced in his first start since being diagnosed last summer. "I cant say Im surprised with how well he played," said Parise, who skated with Harding frequently at the University of Minnesota during the NHL lockout. "Hes been looking good for a while." Parise got his third point with the Wild a night after getting two assists in Minnesotas season-opening win against Colorado. His first goal of the season came at 8:11 of the first period just as a 4-on-3 advantage for the Wild expired. Parise one-timed a pass from Pierre-Marc Bouchard past Cristopher Nilstorp from the slot. "It felt good to get one and get one early in the season," he said. "We did a good job. It was a tough game both offennsively and defensively for us.dddddddddddd" Both teams looked sluggish on the second night of back-to-back games. Each team was coming off a four-goal performance the night before, but struggled to find any sort of an offensive flow. The Stars were 0 for 4 on the power play and never found a rhythm against the Wilds defence and Harding. "We knew its going to be like that, with the short season, with such a short season and we get to make up a lot of games in a short time," Stars right wing Jaromir Jagr said. Despite their tired legs, the Stars had chances throughout thanks to the impressive play of Nilstorp, who signed with Dallas in June after playing the previous four seasons in the Swedish Elite League. He stopped 31 shots in his first career NHL start for Dallas. "He played great," Alex Goligoski said. "He was awesome. I dont know, they get the one on the power play, broke a couple of sticks, and other than that, he made some unbelievable saves." Notes: Stars captain Brenden Morrow left during the first period after taking a puck to the face, but returned for the second. ... Hardings last shutout came against Vancouver last March 19. ... Parise has six goals and seven assists in 10 career games against the Stars, the organization for which his father, J.P. Parise, played and coached. "We need to play them more often I guess," Parise said. ... Bouchard, limited to 97 games in the past three seasons due to injuries, has an assist and a point in each of the past two games. ... The Stars have won 24 of the past 33 games against the Wild, and had won the previous three. ' ' '