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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jed Lowrie insisted he calmly asked Houston second baseman Jose Altuve why the Astros were trying to hit him with a pitch in the third inning. Lowrie had tried to bunt in the first with his Oakland Athletics already leading by seven runs, yet said it was because the defence had shifted. Oh, the debates of baseballs unwritten rules. Alberto Callaspo hit a three-run homer and the As went deep four times Friday night to back Sonny Gray in an 11-3 rout of the Astros. In an unusual move, Houston manager Bo Porter left the dugout in the third to yell at Lowrie moments after the No. 2 hitter flied out following two inside pitches. "Nothing happened," Porter said. "The game takes care of itself." Lowrie said the situation dictated that he try to put a bunt down, and the first inning is far too early not to look to add on runs. "Ive seen crazier things happen than a team come back from seven runs. I dont know what the big deal is. If they want to hold a grudge, thats their decision," he said. "I just asked Altuve a question in about this tone and Bo came running out of the dugout yelling at me. I just dont understand why he came out in such a rage. ... I just dont get it. I dont know what it shows, but not a lot of confidence in his own team. Point blank." Josh Reddick and Coco Crisp each added a two-run shot for Oakland. Yoenis Cespedes hit a solo homer in the second inning to follow up his two-run single in the first against Jarred Cosart (1-2). Cespedes single came one batter before Callaspo connected for his second home run of the season. John Jaso drew Cosarts fourth walk of the first inning before Reddick hit his first homer with his own towering drive to right field. That chased Cosart, who retired only one batter before being replaced by Paul Clemens. Gray (3-0) gave up more than one earned run for the first time this season. He allowed RBI singles to Dexter Fowler and George Springer in the fifth along with Chris Carters sacrifice fly before Crisp homered in the bottom half. Oakland won its ninth in 11 games after going 7-2 on the clubs first road trip. The As had their four-game winning streak snapped Wednesday at the Angels, but are the only team in the majors yet to lose back-to-back games. Cosart received a mound visit in the first after consecutive one-out walks to Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss loaded the bases. After a high pitch near Cespedes head, the Cuban slugger lined a single into centre field. Cosarts quick exit ended a solid stretch in which Astros starters posted a 3.00 ERA over the previous seven games. Grey allowed nine hits, struck out four and walked two in six innings as the As handed Houston its fifth straight loss and sixth in seven games. Springer went 2 for 5 while batting cleanup for the first time, two days after making his major league debut. Porter said he would have preferred to avoid putting the prized prospect in that position in his third game, but the manager wanted to shake up the lineup to get the Astros going. Oaklands eight runs in the first two innings were more than the seven Houston totalled in its previous four. "More than anything for us it was the early runs," As manager Bob Melvin said. "We hadnt been doing that lately." Astros left fielder Alex Presley was a late scratch with flu-like symptoms and was replaced by L.J. Hoes. NOTES: Reddick homered for the first time in 87 at-bats since Sept. 15. It was his fifth hit of the year. "Actually helping the team for once felt really good," he said. ... As LHP Scott Kazmir (2-0) is set to start Saturday after experiencing arm trouble in his last outing. ... Springer got his first stolen base. ... The Astros went 3-7 at the Coliseum last season and 4-15 overall against the As. ... Oakland pitcher A.J. Griffin, sidelined since the start of the season with an elbow injury, is yet to begin a throwing program and Melvin isnt sure when that will happen. ... Gray is 5-1 in nine career games against AL West teams. Marcin Gortat Jersey . Messis father, Jorge Horacio Messi, is apparently still under investigation for an alleged 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in unpaid taxes from Messis image rights from 2007-09. Messis public relations firm confirmed Spanish media reports that the state prosecutor has asked for Messi to be dropped from the investigation that began in June 2013. Tobias Harris Jersey . 9 Baylor Bears just needed some time to get on track in their first game after the Christmas break. http://www.clippersnbateamshop.info/ . At this point, even he isnt sure when it is going to stop. The right-hander dropped his fourth straight decision in Los Angeles 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night, leaving his status very much in doubt as the Dodgers prepare for the stretch drive. Blake Griffin Jersey .com) - NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills. Avery Bradley Jersey . - Maxence Parrot of Bromont, Que.CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Dori Carter might have gotten a bit ahead of herself late in the second round of the Kia Classic. She still left everyone else behind Friday. After birdieing six of the first seven holes on the back nine, Carter bogeyed the final two holes for an 8-under 64. The round was her lowest in competition and broke the Aviara course record. Winless on the LPGA Tour, the former University of Mississippi player had 11 birdies and three bogeys. At 10-under 134, she had a two-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis and Cristie Kerr. "No matter what happens this weekend, I cant believe Im here," Carter said. "This is my first time. I mean, this is an experience for me. Its kind of like I cant lose. ... I have no reason to be uptight or anything because this is my first time. Im OK with that. Im OK with feeling like no matter what happens." She didnt fret about the closing bogeys. "Im not even going to sweat that the rest of the day," Carter said. "Im just so happy right now just to be here in this spot. ... My puttings always been my issue. Today, obviously, putting was fine. So, thats a big confidence boost for me." She tied for 68th in the season-opening event in the Bahamas and tied for 28th in the Womens Australian Open, then played three Symetra Tour events. Last week, she failed to Monday qualify for the Phoenix event, flew to Florida for the Symetra Tour event, then made another cross-country trip to California. "Thats my life," Carter said." From Valdosta, Ga., Carter made a 35-foot putt on the par-3 third hole for her first birdie, holed a couple of 20-footers, hit close on some holes and holed out from the fringe on the par-4 15th. "Kind of a fluke," Carter said about her birdie on 15. "The pin was sitting on this little knob on the front left of the green and I hit it in the rough and I had to kind of roll it up to the front. I got my putter, my caddie and I just said, Why dont you just putt it. I was probably like 10 yards short of the green and rolled it all the way in. It bent in the hole. ...dddddddddddd. That was like, I cant believe this." Lewis shot 66, and Kerr had a 68. The third-ranked Lewis had seven birdies and a bogey. She tied for second last week in Phoenix, her fifth runner-up finish since winning the Womens British Open last year. "It was just a really solid day," Lewis said. "Again, hit the ball really good like I did yesterday and, just the greens were so much better this morning. I mean it was a couple of shots difference, I think, playing in the morning versus the afternoon. Just played a little bit smarter, got on the right side of holes and just hit a lot of good shots." She noticed Carters low round. "I was surprised actually to see the number she shot," Lewis said. "Its very impressive. You know, its a hard golf course. You can make a double pretty quick." Kerr holed out for eagle on the par-4 first -- her 10th hole of the round -- and had three birdies and a bogey. "Couldnt see it go in, unfortunately, but it was a great 7-iron, perfect club," Kerr said. "I just said, Get close, and it went in." She won the Kingsmill Championship last year for her 16th LPGA Tour title. Former Southern California player Lizette Salas was 7 under after a 68. "I have my fans out here this week," Salas said. "Ive been just so blessed to have the support from my family and my community. Im just out here having fun." Karrie Webb, coming off a victory Sunday in Phoenix in the JTBC Founders Cup, rebounded from an opening 75 with a 68 to move into a tie for 26th at 1 under. The 39-year-old Hall of Famer also won the Womens Australian Open last month. Kia endorser Michelle Wie also was 1 under after a 71. DIVOTS: Beatriz Recari, a playoff winner last year, missed the cut by a stroke with rounds of 71 and 76. ... Yani Tseng was tied for 22nd at 2 under after her second straight 71. She won the 2012 tournament for the last of her 15 tour titles and has dropped from first to 46th in the world in a year. ... Sixteen-year-old Lydia Ko also was 2 under after a 68. ' ' '