HOUSTON -- After their pitching carried them to a pair of victories this week and set the stage for a series sweep of the Seattle Mariners, the Houston Astros turned to their offense to seal the deal in a 9-8 win Wednesday night.Entering Wednesday, the Astros owned the second-best ERA (3.43) in the American League since May 1. Despite an off night on the mound in the finale against Seattle, Houston (46-39) generally is showcasing impressive pitching depth.We have a lot of guys that are pitch executers and are really good at it, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. Sometimes that comes with some disrespect (from the opposition). I feel like our guys can stand their own, and when we go out and pitch our game, we have every opportunity to win (that) game, which is the role of the starting pitcher.You have to earn that over time, and sometimes the narrative doesnt follow the facts. I love our pitching staff, we have ways to get better, and I look forward to seeing if the script can maintain this type of consistency the rest of the season.Astros right-hander Doug Fister (8-5, 3.66 ERA) will seek to rebound against the Athletics on Thursday from consecutive losses following a career-high-tying, seven-game winning streak. Fister surrendered five runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on July 2, the most runs he allowed since April 14 against the Kansas City Royals.Fister has enjoyed success against the Athletics this season and throughout his career. He is 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA in two starts against Oakland in 2016, allowing one earned run over 12 2/3 innings. For his career, Fister is 7-6 with a 3.17 ERA over 15 starts against the As.Athletics left-hander Rich Hill (8-3, 2.31 ERA) will make his 10th career appearance and sixth start against the Astros, against whom he is 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA.Hill will make his second start since his return from the disabled list. Sidelined for the entire month of June due to left groin discomfort, Hill allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings against the Pirates on July 2, a game the Athletics lost 4-2.Everything was good command, Hill said. Breaking ball was good, changeup was good, slider was good. I just expect more out of myself going out there. When we go out there and score two runs we (need) a shutdown inning to keep us ahead and let them work. Thats one thing that didnt sit well with me.The 36-year-old veteran had won five consecutive starts before landing on the DL.The Athletics (36-49) have lost six of seven games and were swept in three games in their last visit to Houston. Perhaps the only recent bright spot for Oakland was the Wednesday performance of ace right-hander Sonny Gray, who allowed one run over six innings in a 4-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Antonio Gates Jersey . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. LaDainian Tomlinson Jersey . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. 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The Texas Rangers right-hander will probably reconsider now. Wolf pitched five strong innings for his first big league win in his first start in the majors, David Murphy and Adrian Beltre homered in a three-run first inning, and the Rangers avoided a sweep with a 3-1 victory against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Wolf came up from Triple-A Round Rock for a spot start after the Rangers scratched rookie Nick Tepesch because of a blister. He beamed in front of the cameras afterward and said "awesome" a lot after escaping trouble in the fourth and fifth and getting a big boost from Neal Cotts when he was replaced in the sixth. A year ago, Wolf (1-0) had a pregnant wife on bed rest and a boy who missed him at home while be bounced between Double-A Frisco and Round Rock in the Texas farm system. He spent 2011 in the Houston organization after refusing a minor league assignment with Oakland at the end of the 2010 season. "It tests your patience," said Wolf, who was making his first big league appearance since Oct. 1, 2010, as a reliever for the As. "My wife gets a lot of the credit. She told me to stick with it, and thank God I did." Cotts, pitching a day after getting three outs on six pitches in his game in the majors since May 25, 2009, struck out the side when he came on for Wolf with two runners on and no outs in the sixth. The left-hander whose best season came with the Chicago White Sox when they won the World Series in 2005 escaped trouble again in the seventh, getting Adam Rosales on a lineout and Coco Crisp on a foul pop with a runner at third. "He may have been here in Texas a short time, but he hasnt been at the major league level being successful for a short time," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Hes throwing the ball the way I remember him throwing with Chicago." Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 14 chances. Elvis Andrus snapped an 0-for-10 slump with a leadoff single in the first, and Murphy followed with a homer about 10 rows into the lower porch in right field. Two batters later, Beltre hit his 10th of the season halfway up the lawn in centre.dddddddddddd Jarrod Parker (2-6) was down 3-0 just four batters into the game, but went seven innings for Oakland. The right-hander retired 11 of the next 12 Rangers after Beltres homer and allowed six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in seven innings. "He threw a couple of early-count heaters that they squared up," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "In the past, early in the season, that game gets away from him. It looks like hes more comfortable now." Wolf, who had 25 career relief appearances, retired the first nine hitters and gave up one run with three strikeouts and two walks in five-plus innings. It was the second time in three days a Texas pitcher has made his first major league start after previous stints as a reliever with other teams. Josh Lindblom lost to Oakland on Monday. "For him to come up and pitch against his old team and get his first big league win, its cool to stay you were a part of it," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. The As scored their only run on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Moss with runners at second and third and one in the fourth against Wolf, who was 1-2 with a 2.02 ERA in Round Rock, including a 1.85 ERA in six starts. Oakland, which had a five-game winning streak snapped, put runners at second and third with no outs in the fifth when Andrus made a sliding catch over his shoulder on a blooper into left from Eric Sogard. Wolf then got Rosales on an infield popup and Crisp on a grounder. "I think it meant everything to anyone thats in the game of baseball that have a dream," Washington said. "I think he did a great job of going through a hot team." Notes: Rangers RHP Cory Burns was optioned to Round Rock to make room for Wolf. ... Tepesch is scheduled to start Sunday at Seattle, and Yu Darvish will pitch the first game of a day-night doubleheader in Arizona on Monday. The second starter is undecided. ... As SS Jed Lowrie didnt start after getting hit by a pitch on his right foot Tuesday night. ... Oakland OF Josh Reddick (sprained right wrist) was eligible to come off the DL Wednesday and will join the team Friday in Houston for limited batting practice. ' ' '