decision, but well do everything on our part as an organization. We wa

SEATTLE -- Yoenis Cespedes just feels more comfortable when he plays the outfield. Cespedes homered twice and Bartolo Colon won his seventh straight start to lead the Oakland Athletics past the Seattle Mariners 6-3 on Friday night. Limited to DH duty for seven games because of a sore hamstring, Cespedes celebrated his return to left field with a pair of two-run homers. "Evidently he likes to play the outfield," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "You could see his whole demeanour today, he was just in a better mood." Jed Lowrie and Coco Crisp also went deep for the Athletics, who maintained their one-game lead in the AL West over Texas. Cespedes homered in the first inning and again in the ninth for his third career multihomer game -- all this month, and all when playing left field. "I cant say Im 100 per cent yet, but it feels great to play in the outfield," Cespedes said through a translator. "When Im in the outfield, my bodys completely up, my bodys on fire. The difference is when Im a DH and I sit down in the dugout and Im doing nothing, I feel like Im going down a little bit." Cespedes hitting took some of the spotlight off Colons pitching, but the 40-year-old right-hander was on top of his game, too. Colon (10-2) gave up three runs and seven hits over eight innings, tying unbeaten Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers for most wins in the American League. Colon is 11-1 in his career at Safeco Field, the best record for any pitcher with at least seven decisions in the Mariners home park. "Hes a veteran guy. He knows himself. He knows what works," said Crisp, who hit a solo homer in the sixth. "Its not a fluke." Colon, who has relied heavily on his fastball this season, said he feels hes pitching as well as he has since winning the AL Cy Young Award with the Angels in 2005. He attributed his recent success to adding more off-speed pitches to the stream of fastballs. "I think its because I mix it up better than I did before," Colon said through a translator. "I was always a fastball guy, so now Im mixing it more." Mariners manager Eric Wedge, however, said Colon can dominate with only his fastball. "He knows how to pitch. He recognizes swings," Wedge said. "He does as good a job with his fastball, his movement, where it starts and where it finishes, as anybody in the league." Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his 18th save this season and 36th in a row dating to May 5, 2012. Hisashi Iwakuma (7-3) lost at home for the first time this season, giving up four runs and six hits -- including three homers -- in seven innings. His home ERA rose from 0.92 to 1.46. The matchup between two of the American Leagues top starters turned into a relative slugfest. Iwakuma had never given up more than two home runs in a game, and it was the first time in 18 career home starts he allowed more than one homer. He has lost two starts in a row, both to Oakland. "We really didnt get a whole lot of hits off of him," said Lowrie, who homered leading off the fourth. "We were able to get those big homers, thats the only way we scored off him." Nick Franklin hit a three-run shot in the third against Colon, the first time the pitcher had allowed a home run or more than two earned runs in a game since May 14, before he started his winning streak. Cespedes gave Oakland a two-run lead in the first inning with a shot that bounced off the upper-deck railing above the left field out-of-town scoreboard. It wasnt the first big hit Cespedes has had against Iwakuma -- he is 6 for 15 with three homers against the Mariners starter. The Mariners were hurt by a baserunning blunder in the sixth. After a leadoff single, Kyle Seager was thrown out trying to take two bases on a passed ball. Kendrys Morales single and Raul Ibanezs walk gave Seattle two on with one out, but the Mariners were unable to push a run across. Oakland added two insurance runs in the ninth off reliever Tom Wilhelmsen. Lowrie led off with a single and Cespedes followed with another homer to left field, his 15th. NOTES: Oakland C John Jaso was a late scratch because of a left palm abrasion he got when sliding Thursday. ... Seattle promoted pitching prospect Taijuan Walker to Triple-A Tacoma. Walker, the Mariners top pick in the 2010 draft, was 4-7 with a 2.46 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 14 starts for Double-A Jackson. ... Two of Seattles 2013 draft picks, Austin Wilson (second round) and Lachlan Fontaine (13th), took batting practice before the game. Custom Diamondbacks Jerseys . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Luis Gonzalez Jersey Large . Despite the cost, effort and an improved steroid test, its possible that very few -- if any -- positives will be detected, Dr. Richard Budgett told The Associated Press in an interview. "We just dont know what the results from Torino will be," Budgett said. http://www.customdiamondbacksjersey.com/ . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Custom Curt Schilling Jersey . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Custom Luis Gonzalez Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. DENVER -- Even as Masai Ujiri accepted the NBAs executive of the year trophy from club President Josh Kroenke on Thursday, the Denver Nuggets general manager said he would have given it up gladly in exchange for a deep playoff run. "Its a little bittersweet for me," Ujiri said at a news conference a day after the Nuggets George Karl took the trophy for coach of the year. "I would trade that to be playing right now." Ujiri, the first African-born GM in major American sports, built the Nuggets team that won an NBA franchise-record 57 games and went an NBA-best 38-3 at home before going down in the first round. "There was an unbelievable energy in this city and thats why we had kind of a little disappointment when we lost to the Golden State Warriors, whos not such a bad team from what they are doing right now," Ujiri said. "We hope to kick their butts next year but theyre not too bad right now. We understand we are a growing team. We knew there were going to be pains. This is part of the process and well continue to grow." Ujiri assembled a team that had nine players average between 8 and 16.7 points and the city, the Nuggets fans and the organization embraced the clubs persona as a team without a superstar that nevertheless got the job done. Until the third-seeded Nuggets were beaten in six games by the sixth-seeded Warriors, led by their fast-rising star, Stephen Curry. Ujiri said that after the Nuggets first-round exit, his disappointment was so keen he didnt even watch basketball for several days. He finally tuned in Wednesday night to watch an NBA playoff game and came to the office Thursday recharged, spoiling to get started on next season. "Weve got work to do," he said. "I think were beginning to get over our emotional state. You know what? You have to move on." Ujiri said hes confident his deal, which expires in the summer, will be renewed or extended. "Josh and I continue to have conversations. Im very positive that things will work out," he said. And he said a top off-season priority will be to lock up Andre Iguodala with a long-term deal. "Hes a great kid and I think hes great for our basketball team," Ujiri said. "Theres a lot he brings to our program and were proud of him and the year he had. We hope we auditioned ourselves well for him. Its going to be his decision, but well do everything on our part as an oorganization.dddddddddddd. We want him back." He vowed the Nuggets will be back for another playoff run next season. "Our goal is to be better and to be better in the playoffs, and were going to do everything we can to get there," he said. Ujiri totalled 59 points and received eight first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team basketball executives throughout the league. The Los Angeles Clippers Gary Sacks finished second with 28 points (three first-place votes) and the Houston Rockets Daryl Morey and the New York Knicks Glen Grunwald finished tied for third with 25 points (four first-place votes). Ujiri, who spent three years with the Toronto Raptors before joining the Nuggets, was named to his current position on Aug. 27, 2010. He worked for the Nuggets organization as a scout from 2003-07, and served as the teams director of international scouting during the 2006-07 season. Ujiris predecessor, Mark Warkentien, won the honour in 2009. Denvers Vince Boryla also won the award in 1984-85. "Hes a great kid and I think hes great for our basketball team," Ujiri said. "Theres a lot he brings to our program and were proud of him and the year he had. We hope we auditioned ourselves well for him. Its going to be his decision, but well do everything on our part as an organization. We want him back." He vowed the Nuggets will be back for another playoff run next season. "Our goal is to be better and to be better in the playoffs, and were going to do everything we can to get there," he said. Ujiri totalled 59 points and received eight first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team basketball executives throughout the league. The Los Angeles Clippers Gary Sacks finished second with 28 points (three first-place votes) and the Houston Rockets Daryl Morey and the New York Knicks Glen Grunwald finished tied for third with 25 points (four first-place votes). Ujiri, who spent three years with the Toronto Raptors before joining the Nuggets, was named to his current position on Aug. 27, 2010. He worked for the Nuggets organization as a scout from 2003-07, and served as the teams director of international scouting during the 2006-07 season. Ujiris predecessor, Mark Warkentien, won the honour in 2009. Denvers Vince Boryla also won the award in 1984-85. And he said a top off-season priority will be to lock up Andre Iguodala with a long-term deal. ' ' '