MINNEAPOLIS -- With Josh Reddick back and hitting home runs, the Oakland Athletics are bringing some more muscle and a bigger lead into a crucial weekend series. Reddick homered and had three RBIs, A.J. Griffin allowed just two hits in seven innings, and the As beat the Minnesota Twins 8-2 Thursday afternoon to increase their division lead to 3 1/2 games over idle Texas in the American League West. It is Oaklands largest lead over the Rangers since Aug. 3. The teams are to scheduled play a three-game series this weekend in the Lone Star State. "We know its an important series, but were not going to sweat about it," Reddick said. "We know we can beat those guys." Reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday after missing time with a sprained right wrist, Reddick hit an eighth-inning pitch from Brian Duensing into the right field seats for an 8-1 Oakland lead. It was his 11th homer of the season in his 99th game. He hit 32 in 156 games last year. "Being able to hit it hard ... without my wrist hurting really felt good," said Reddick, who was also on the disabled list May 7-30 with the same injury. "Watching these guys the last two weeks it kind of stung not being able to be a part of it, but I was just hoping to come back and just jump on board and not screw up the rhythm. Hopefully, more days like this are coming." Adding Reddick to a lineup that already has 26 home runs from Brandon Moss, 22 from Yoenis Cespedes, 21 from Josh Donaldson and 19 from Coco Crisp makes things much easier for manager Bob Melvin. "Weve got a lot of options right now, a lot of guys that are heating up offensively," Melvin said. In winning his fourth straight start, Griffin (14-9) struck out eight and walked just one batter. "I was working well, I was working quick, I had a good rhythm," he said. Griffin struck out six of the first nine batters he faced, including four straight, and lowered his opponents batting average to .165 the first time through the lineup, the lowest mark in the majors among pitchers with at least 130 innings pitched. Other than allowing Oswaldo Arcias home run in the seventh, Griffin, who has served up a major league leading 34 home runs, didnt have many problems the rest of the way. "I feel like I can throw any pitch in any count and throw them effectively. Its a lot more fun when thats going on," Griffin said. Minnesota had two runners on with one out in the fourth, but Arcia lined out to second baseman Alberto Callaspo and Brian Dozier was doubled off first. Dozier had walked. Making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester, Minnesota starter Scott Diamond (5-11) lasted just 4 2-3 innings. He allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits while striking out one. Before the game, Gardenhire said that Diamond appears to be a much more confident pitcher than he was before his Aug. 1 demotion. In six minor league starts, Diamond was 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA. The left-hander barely broke a sweat in retiring the As in order in the first two innings before the Oakland hitters forced Diamond deep into counts. "I wasnt able to put anybody away. I think that was the story behind my game today," he said. One day after scoring 18 runs against the Twins, Oakland used some two-out hitting to take a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Derek Norris led off with a one-out double and scored two batters later when Crisp hit into a fielders choice. After a walk to Donaldson, Jed Lowrie had an RBI single leading to a mound visit by Minnesota pitching coach Rick Anderson. Cespedes then tripled off the wall in centerfield to plate two more runs. Donaldson added an RBI single in the fifth and Reddicks sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Chris Young, who tripled to lead off the inning, to make it 6-0. NOTES: Gardenhire said C Joe Mauer, out since Aug. 20 with a concussion, did a workout Thursday and left the ballpark "feeling good." ... The As and Twins are scheduled to play a four-game series in Oakland starting next Thursday. ... Cespedes has driven in a run in a career-best six straight games. ... Dan Straily (9-7, 4.15) is to get the ball for Oakland Friday when it begins its three-game series at Texas. Derek Holland (9-8, 3.17) will pitch for the Rangers. ... Minnesotas Kevin Correia (9-11, 4.30) is scheduled to face Tampa Bays Chris Archer (8-7, 3.19) when the teams open a three-game series Friday at Target Field. Shoes Canada From China . First, Ivan Nova decided to have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. Then Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games for using pine tar. Shoes Canada Sale .C. -- Kevin Harvick won his first career pole at Darlington Raceway on Friday as he looks to chase his first Southern 500. https://www.shoescanadaonline.com/. They signed their first kicker. Ottawa inked Nick Setta, a 32-year-old native of Lockport, Illinois, to a contract. Fake Shoes Canada 2020 . And follow TSN.ca right through Wednesdays 3pm et trade deadline for all the updates. Blue line help for Red Wings? In addition to what he reported in Insider Trading, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN. Shoes Canada Nike . For Bergevin, the best pick is the 30th — which traditionally goes to the Stanley Cup winner. "Thats our goal. LOS ANGELES -- Bae Sang-moon is off to another great start at the Northern Trust Open. The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Baddeley, who hasnt won since Riviera three years ago, birdied his last four holes for a 65. Garrigus played in the afternoon, when its a little more difficult to make putts, and managed just fine with a 67. Bae was at 9-under 133. The 27-year-old South Korean was tied for the lead going into the weekend at Riviera last year. Bae struggled to a 76 in the third round and never got back into contention. "It was really, really good experience, and I learned a lot," Bae said. "I improved a lot from last year." He wound up winning the Byron Nelson Championship a few months later for his first PGA Tour victory. Patience surely will be required at some point over the weekend on what has shaped up as one of the best weeks of weather at Riviera -- an abundance of sunshine and only a trace of wind. Despite what would appear to be pristine scoring conditions, no one has reached double digits under par this week, a testament to one of the best golf courses on the PGA Tour. "Its a strong course, especially when its dry and firm like it is," Baddeley said. "If you miss it out of position, its really hard to get the ball up-and-down. Today was good, because I made a couple good saves but coming in, I had some good looks and made them." And while Bae is in the lead, the tournament remains wide open, with 22 players separated by only five shots. One of them is Dustin Johnson, who led after the first round and opened with two quick birdies. Johnson never made any more progress, however. He dropped shots on the 12th and 15th holes to negate a few more birdies, and missed several good looks inside 12 feet. He had to settle for a 70 and was three behind at 6-under 136. "I played pretty solid today, just hit a couple of bad drivers on the back. But thats going to happen," Johnson said. "But I still had a lot of really good looks at birdie and just couldnt capitalize on any of them." Also three shots out of the lead was Jim Furyk, who had a 68. Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., followeed his opening round 70 with a 73, leaving him 10 shots back at 1-over 143.dddddddddddd Among those missing the cut was Matt Kuchar, who failed to qualify for the weekend for the first time since the 2012 PGA Championship. His streak of 30 straight cuts was the longest active on tour, though still behind the record 142 by Tiger Woods. Baddeley was in the middle of the pack until he hit his approach on the 15th hole to about 8 feet. He followed with a short birdie putt on the par-3 16th, rolled in a birdie putt from 15 feet on the par-5 17th and finished it off with a 25-foot birdie on the 18th. Garrigus has made the cut only once in four previous trips to the Northern Trust Open. He decided to bring a new attitude, and it seems to be working. "I have pretty good willpower, so as soon as I stepped on the first hole this week, Im like, I absolutely love this place. ... And Im really starting to like it," Garrigus said. He also figured it would be one last chance to get into the Match Play Championship next week, though someone will have to break the news to him that the Match Play field is closed. Garrigus wont be playing even if he wins. Jordan Spieth managed to get in the mix, especially after he was on the cusp of leaving early. The 20-year-old Texan had tough par putts on four straight holes at the start of his round. When he finally missed one on the fourth hole for his first bogey, he took off. Spieth birdied four of his last five holes for a 66, leaving him in the large group that was at 4-under 138 along with Keegan Bradley and Jimmy Walker, still in the hunt for his fourth win this season. "I putted great today, a lot of par saves on the front," Spieth said. "I could have been 4 or 5 over at the turn, and instead I was at even, so very happy with the finish. Back in contention." Not so fortunate was Fred Couples, who had a tiny cut on the tip of his left thumb that opened up to the size of a dime, making it difficult for him to hang onto the club. Couples has gone his entire Hall of Fame career without wearing a glove. Asked if it bothered him, he said, "Yeah. I couldnt hit the ball." Couples made his 32nd appearance in this tournament, but at 2-over 144 was certain to miss the cut. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 75, leaving him at 145. ' ' '