OAKLAND, Calif. Tom Brady Jersey . -- Jon Lester took the mound in a different uniform and, for the first time in his major league career, felt just slightly out of place. Quickly enough, he put aside the newness of pitching for Oakland -- and the expectations that hell help lead baseballs winningest team on a deep run in October. Lester worked into the seventh inning to win his Athletics debut and Gomes produced two timely hits during an eight-run burst in his Bay Area return for an 8-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. Two days after being traded from the sagging World Series champion Boston Red Sox, Lester and Gomes teamed up on a nice win out West. "After warming up it felt a little more normal, getting back to the pitching performance and worrying about that and not worrying about living situations or moving or anything like that," Lester said. "It was a little different at first." Lesters parents flew down from the Seattle area for his start. The 6-foot-4 lefty instantly became an imposing presence in the pitcher-friendly Coliseum. Fans in the crowd of 30,097 cheered as he went through his warmup routine in left field, then Lester (11-7) tipped his cap to a roaring ovation when he left after 6 2-3 innings and 104 pitches. "To walk off to the ovation was great," Lester said. "It kind of makes you feel welcome." Lester gave up three runs and nine hits, striking out three and walking one. Manager Bob Melvin joked about being scared to take him out. "I said, Nice going, big fella. He is a big fella," Melvin said. Back with the AL West-leading As, Gomes delivered like old 2012 times. He singled and scored off Jason Vargas (8-5), then added a hit a two-run single off Aaron Crow. "Every once in a while some new blood, some new energy can help out," Gomes said. Pitching on seven days rest after being scratched Wednesday ahead of the trade deadline, Lester improved to 8-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 12 career starts against the Royals. He hasnt lost in nine starts overall since June 7 at Detroit. "Jonny Lester is one of the best pitchers in the American League," Royals manager Ned Yost said. The As went ahead with their planned promotion, passing out 10,000 Yoenis Cespedes T-shirts reading "La Potencia" -- it pays tribute to his power. The two-time Home Run Derby champ was traded to Boston in the big swap and made his Red Sox debut Saturday. Vargas came off the disabled list to make his first start since undergoing an appendectomy July 9. After the first 12 As batters were retired in order, the next 12 produced eight hits and eight runs. Oakland lost second baseman Nick Punto when he strained his right hamstring, and he will require a disabled list stint. He rounded third on Jed Lowries RBI single in the fifth, but slid toward the coachs box and grabbed the back of his leg before hobbling back to the bag. REPLAY REVIEW: In the fourth, the umpires went to replay to determine whether As catcher Derek Norris improperly blocked the plate when he tagged a sliding Alex Gordon. The out call was confirmed, with newly acquired centre fielder Sam Fulds throw resulting in a sensational double play. "I knew I had a chance," Fuld said. "Its hard to throw guys out at home, especially with the new rules." TRAINERS ROOM Royals: First baseman Eric Hosmer went on the 15-day disabled with a stress fracture of the third finger on his right hand. Athletics: Center fielder Coco Crisp missed his sixth straight game with a strained neck. Melvin said the As arent putting him on the DL because Crisp has shown he can make quick progress once back doing baseball activities, which could be Sunday. ON DECK Kansas City right-hander James Shields (9-6, 3.50 ERA) makes his team-leading 24th start. Scott Kazmir (12-3, 2.37) opposes him. Custom New England Patriots Jerseys .Just like old times.Only this time, just one got to enjoy a victory.James return to Miami as an opponent was a success — for the Heat, that is. Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng had 25 points and dogged James defensively all night, and the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-91 in a hyped Christmas matchup Thursday. Drew Bledsoe Patriots Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. https://www.patriotssportsgoods.com/Womens-Tedy-Bruschi-Inverted-Jersey/ . For the Blue Jays the time was Wednesday and the ace was R.A. Dickey. He stepped up. "I feel some responsibility as a stopper from time to time," said Dickey.ST. LOUIS -- Jeff Fisher has never been afraid to buck a trend, draft a troubled player or grant a second chance. The coach of the Rams stuck with Adam "Pacman" Jones and Kenny Britt when he was at Tennessee, despite their off-field problems. Britt is now reunited with Fisher in St. Louis. Fisher recently rehired Gregg Williams, the defensive co-ordinator who was given a one-year suspension by the league for the bounty scandal with the Saints. It was not a surprise that it was Fisher who helped Michael Sam make history as the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team. "He is an amazing leader, and even better, hes a better man," said Wade Davis, the head of an advocacy group for lesbian and gay athletes. Davis currently is doing some work with the NFL. "He looks at everything from all angles and hes not afraid to take on a challenge." The 56-year-old Fisher deflects any praise for being a trailblazer, insisting it was simply a football decision to upgrade one of the NFLs top pass rushes by taking Sam at No. 249. "In our world, nobodys going to agree with what you do 100 per cent of the time because everybody has opinions, and thats fine," Fisher said. "Im concerned about whats going on in the building, with the staff and players, the direction were headed. Thats always been the case." At least on the field, Fisher can relate to the challenge for Sam. He also was a seventh-round pick, the fourth wheel of a star-studded Southern California secondary that featured Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith and Joey Browner. He then carved out a career playing under Mike Ditka for a Super Bowl winner in Chicago and is entering his 19th season as an NFL head coach. Lott, a Hall of Famer, recalls Fisher smoothly making the switch from wide receiver to cornerback. "To me, its easy to play wide receiver because you know where youre going," Lott said. "Having to react, respond and do it with confidence and knowing youre not going to win every play, thats the mindset on defence. The determination he had then has stayed with him." Not long after Sam came out in February, Fisher said hed have no problem having him on the team, that this was an age of diversity. Turns out it wasnt just talk. Several picks before the Rams took Sam, Fisheer broached the subject with owner Stan Kroenke and general manager Les Snead. Tedy Bruschi Jersey. Ditka said he wasnt surprised it was Fisher who stepped up when every other team was backing away from Sam. Ditka, who once traded all his draft picks to land Ricky Williams, called it a "pretty gutsy move." Players have fallen in lockstep with their coach on the question of picking Sam. Defensive end Chris Long called it a "football move" and so did linebacker James Laurinaitis. "I dont think it was courageous," Laurinaitis said. "I think its a calculated move by the organization. ... If you have the opportunity to draft a guy that you think is extremely productive and maybe you had a higher grade on him than where he is, you go ahead and take that. I think football-wise, it was a very smart decision." Fisher wouldnt say how far Sam slid on the Rams draft board. The coach joked that divulging that information might affect Sams rookie contract. Titans broadcaster Thom Abraham remembers Fisher in 2009 after Tennessees 0-6 start removing his sport coat, tie and shirt at the podium of a civic function to reveal a Peyton Manning jersey underneath. The punch line: "I just wanted to know what it felt like to be a winner." "Picking Sam did not surprise me one bit," Abraham said of Fisher. "Hes confident in his ability to be out front, and almost represent the NFL." Sam has had several off-season workouts and more practices are on tap this week with the veterans. Long said Sam was working hard and former Missouri teammate, receiver T.J. Moe, said the team viewed Sam simply as someone trying to make it in the NFL. "He is on the team. Theres a 90-man roster, it doesnt go 89 and then Michael Sams over there, this is the gay team, this is the straight team," Moe said. "Michael Sam is on this team and hes treated just like anybody else." And if Sam struggles, nobody that knows Fisher well doubts the coach will have any problem cutting him loose. "He doesnt like doing that part of it," said Brad Hopkins, a former Pro Bowl offensive tackle who played his entire NFL career under Fisher. "But he knows it has to be done, and that you cant make everybody happy." ' ' '