on Monday with third baseman Trevor Plouffe returning to th

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Sean Manaea faced plenty of hurdles already in his rookie season.The Oakland As left-hander gave up 16 earned runs in his first three major league starts and had an 11.37 ERA. He had a scary trip to the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his pitching forearm.Manaea dealt with a three-hour rain delay before a start in Minnesota. Then he was forced to make an emergency relief appearance Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays -- two days before a scheduled start -- after Oakland pitchers Rich Hill and Andrew Triggs were injured in the first inning.I was just in a panic getting up here (to the clubhouse) and getting dressed, Manaea said Thursday. I didnt have my jersey on. I didnt have my belt. In my mind, I was just chilling and relaxing, just watching the game. The first inning comes around, and its just crazy.Manaea held the Blue Jays to two runs on three hits in five innings, striking out four and walking none in his second consecutive strong outing. He pitched seven shutout innings against the Houston Astros on July 10, allowing five hits, striking out six and walking none.Manaea will try to continue his hot streak Friday against Tampa Bay when he makes his 13th start of the season, facing Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi in the second game of a four-game series.I just have to learn from every game, the ups and downs, Manaea said before the Rays 7-3 victory in the series opener. Obviously, Ive had a lot of downs and some ups. I try to take something away from each game and think on that positive note. Not having the walks the past two games has been awesome. Im really, really happy how my mechanics are, how I feel and my pitches. Everything feels good right now.Its been big for me not walking anybody and not giving up as many hits as I had been. Things are starting to click, starting to get the ball rolling. Im just feeling really good about how things are turning out.Odorizzi (4-5, 4.39 EA) is having an up-and-down season, but he comes into the game off a high note against the Baltimore Orioles. He allowed two runs over six innings in a 5-2 victory on Sunday. He struck out seven and walked one.It was a good start to the second half, Odorizzi said. First half was a little tough I think for everybody on our staff. It was good to get off in the second half on the right foot, get back to the way were all capable of pitching. Well hopefully just keep going from there.Odorizzi is trying to recapture the consistency he had last season when he finished 9-9 with a 3.35 ERA in 28 starts.Last year I had consistency from start to finish, and this year theres just been some blips on the radar, he said. As a whole group, as a staff, weve kind of had that same thing happen to us.Im just ready to get back to consistency, going six, seven innings every time out. Im feeling good. Everything health-wise is fantastic. I feel great. Im just ready to go out and have a good second half. Red Auerbach Celtics Jersey .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Walter-Brown-Jersey/ . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Bob Cousy Jersey . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Reggie Lewis Jersey . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. MINNEAPOLIS -- After spending much of the first half of the season in the cellar, the Minnesota Twins became an afterthought in the American League.Minnesota is giving the rest of the AL something to think about now as a playoff spoiler with some minor league call-ups getting more of a chance in the lineup.Tyler Duffey pitched six effective innings and Minnesota took advantage of two misplays by center fielder Carlos Gomez in a three-run fifth that sent the Twins past the Houston Astros 3-1 on Monday night.Eddie Rosario had three hits for Minnesota, which won for the seventh time in nine games.With 50 games, weve got to keep playing. Kind of enjoying what were doing right now, for the most part, manager Paul Molitor said. I think theres a lot of energy, guys are having fun, a lot of joking going around, which is good as long as the focus is where it needs to be.Since July 2, Minnesota has gone 21-12 and leads the majors in runs, hits, doubles and triples. The victory Monday pulled the Twins ahead of Tampa Bay and out of last place in the overall AL standings.Minnesota is still last in the AL Central.Gomez, the former Twins outfielder, let Jorge Polancos single skip by him for a two-base error that allowed one run to score. Then he lost a fly ball off Juan Centenos bat, turning it into an RBI triple.Danny Santana followed with a run-scoring single.The first one was hit really hard and I missed (it) in my glove, and the second one, I (didnt) know where the ball was, Gomez said. We lost the game because of that. I feel worse than anyone in this clubhouse.Duffey (7-8) permitted one run on four hits and struck out eight to win his second straight start. Three relievers combined for three hitless innings, and Brandon Kintzler finished for his 10th save in 11 chances.I feel like Ive been a lot more consistent, Duffey said. Thats the biggest thing -- my arm slot, release point, everything like that feels really good. Felt strong, and stuff was going where I wanted it to.Polanco, called up from the minors when thhe Twins traded All-Star infielder Eduardo Nunez to San Francisco, has hit .dddddddddddd378 with six RBI in nine games since being recalled.Meanwhile, Molitor said Rosario will get a look in center field after the team sent Byron Buxton to Triple-A on Sunday. Rosario has hit .461 with four RBI in six games as the starting center fielder.Those guys are picking us up, Molitor said of Polanco, Rosario and Santana. Cant say enough about Polanco so far, just the quality of at-bats and what hes doing for us.Collin McHugh (7-9) gave up three runs and 10 hits in seven innings, losing his third straight start. The Astros have dropped 10 of their past 13 games and are averaging 2.28 runs during that stretch.FINDING A SPOTPolancos offense hasnt been much of a question mark for the Twins, but the organization has tried to find the right position for the 23-year-old Dominican infielder. Hes spent time at second base, third and shortstop.After five straight games at third, Polanco moved to shortstop on Monday with third baseman Trevor Plouffe returning to the lineup. Minnesota is unsettled at shortstop after trading Nunez. Eduardo Escobar has received most of the playing time at the position since the trade.Maybe one of the better games Ive ever seen him play at short, Molitor said of Polanco. He was clean, finished, threw with confidence. It was a good night for him all-around.TRAINERS ROOMPlouffe started at third base after missing 32 games with a broken rib. He went 1 for 4.UP NEXTHector Santiago (10-5, 4.37 ERA) makes his first home start for the Twins on Tuesday night. The left-hander was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline and gave up four runs on five hits over five innings in his Minnesota debut at Cleveland. Houston counters with RHP Mike Fiers (7-5, 4.34), who tied a season high with seven strikeouts but took the loss against Toronto in his last appearance. ' ' '