ARLINGTON, Texas -- Derek Norris drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, Scott Kazmir outpitched Martin Perez and the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Tuesday night. The As went ahead to stay on Norris two-run double in the first off Perez (4-1), who had pitched 26 consecutive scoreless innings over his previous three starts. The left-hander had thrown three-hit shutouts his last two games, including at Oakland six days earlier. Kazmir (4-0) tied for the AL lead in wins. He needed 95 pitches to get through five innings, but left with a 9-3 lead. The lefty struck out four and walked one. When Norris added an RBI double to make it 4-0 in the third, the As already had six hits off Perez, who started the night with an AL-best 1.42 ERA. The eight runs allowed by Perez were two more than his combined total his first five starts, and his ERA more than doubled to 2.95. He struck out three and walked three in 4 2-3 innings. Oakland, swept in three games at home by the Rangers last week, has won the first two games in this series that started with the teams tied atop the AL West. At 17-10, the As have the best record in the American League. Texas (15-12) has its first three-game losing streak this season. As right-hander Sonny Gray, who lost in the matchup against Perez last week, reached four wins by throwing a three-hit shutout in the series opener. Gray beat Rangers ace Yu Darvish, who with 3 1-3 innings had the shortest start in three seasons since coming from Japan. Perez and Torontos Mark Buehrle were the only other AL pitchers who went into Tuesdays games with four wins. When Craig Gentry led off the second with a triple, the As already had three hits -- matching through seven batters what they got against Perez last week. Gentry scored on a groundout by Josh Reddick, who added a two-run single in Oaklands five-run outburst in the fifth. Perez was gone after issuing a bases-loaded walk to Alberto Callaspo in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Brandon Moss then drew a bases-loaded walk on an eight-pitch at-bat against reliever Jason Frasor before Reddicks single made it 9-1. Alex Rios had an RBI double for Texas in the fourth, but was thrown out trying to come home on a groundball. After the Rangers had consecutive singles to start the fifth, Elvis Andrus sent home a run on a groundout and Prince Fielder had an RBI single. NOTES: It was Texas manager Ron Washingtons 62nd birthday. The Rangers are 0-6 in games on his birthday. ... Kazmirs ERA rose to 2.11 after he entered at 1.62, third-best in the AL. ... Oakland is 11-4 on the road, best in the AL. ... Perezs scoreless streak was the fifth-longest for a Rangers starter. ... There was delay of 1 minute, 38 seconds in the fifth for Washingtons challenge after first-base umpire Laz Diaz ruled a foul ball on Andrus liner down the right-field line just past the infield dirt. The call stood after replay, meaning there was no clear or convincing evidence to overturn it. Christian Vazquez Red Sox Jersey . Sami Salo scored two goals as the Canucks overcame a hat-trick from Edmonton Oiler rookie sensation Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to win 4-3 in NHL action Saturday. Joe Kelly Jersey .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. https://www.cheapredsox.com/1591z-koji-u...ey-red-sox.html. -- LaMarcus Aldridge returned to the Trail Blazers lineup, happy to know that things didnt go awry without him. Jhoulys Chacin Red Sox Jersey . Vargas (8-3) allowed four singles and two walks while striking out five, allowing only two runners from a diluted Twins lineup to reach second base. Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson hit RBI singles in the second inning against Kevin Correia (4-10), and that was all Vargas needed. Stitched Red Sox Jerseys . -- Theres been so much talk about Mike Moustakas at the plate that the third baseman ignored the conversation Wednesday -- even after doing something positive.Barcelona forward Lionel Messi admits he would like to return to Argentina at some point in the future. Messi left Newells Old Boys of Rosario at the age of 13 to join Barcelona, before winning the Ballon dOr five times.The 28-year-old says that while it was a good experience leaving Argentina at such a young age, he would like to go back and enjoy the city of Rosario. One day I would like to go to Argentina because I left my country at such a young age, he told Sports Illustrated. I couldnt enjoy Rosario, my city, my people that much.It was a complicated time. On the one hand it was nice, because to come and play in Barcelona was something spectacular. On the other hand it was difficult, because I left everything behind. Messi has won the Ballon dOr five times since moving to Barcelona Messi, who is yet to win a major tournament with Argentina having come runner-up att the World Cup in 2014 and the Copa America in 2007 and 2015, is desperate to claim that elusive international prize at this summers Copa America in USA.dddddddddddd We will try our best to win the Copa, because for us it is very important, said Messi, whose Argentina side have not won a major tournament since the 1993 Copa. Messi is yet to win a major international tournament with Argentina More so, it has been a very long time since Argentina has not won anything, and this group came very close in the World Cup and at the last Copa America.I think we deserve to be champions of an important competition. Also See: Sandro to leave Barcelona Messi wins 30th career title Double double delights Enrique Barcelona win fiery Copa final ' ' '