with Evans converting to leave Warriors with a mountain to climb.To their credit, they responded immediately when a well-judged pass from Ry

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The only thing Bartolo Colon cares about is staying healthy and helping his team win. He simply has no idea how to answer the constant questions about how hes doing both. Colon tossed eight innings of one-run ball to win his eighth straight start, powering the Oakland Athletics past the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 on Friday night to tie the best streak of his career. "I dont even know what I can say," Colon said. "Thank you, God." Colon (11-2) controlled the game with an efficient fastball the way he has so many others this season, burnishing his All-Star credentials and confounding critics who wonder how the 40-year-old continues to dominate. He allowed six hits, struck out five and walked one to match Max Scherzer of Detroit for the most wins in the AL this season. Stephen Vogt stole some of the spotlight from Colons latest gem when he homered to end an 0-for-32 stretch to start his career, and four players drove in runs during the second inning to chase Shelby Miller (8-6) and help Oakland win its third straight game. Colon hugged his catcher in the dugout when he came out after the eighth and whispered in Vogts ear: "Thank you, Poppy." Vogts line-drive homer against reliever Joe Kelly in the fourth ended the longest hitless streak to start a career by a non-pitcher since Chris Carter began 0 for 33 with the As in 2010. "I cant imagine anything better," Vogt said. The Cardinals (48-31) dropped a game behind Pittsburgh for the best record in the majors -- and the NL Central lead. Kelly, who last pitched on June 21, allowed just the one run and three hits in 5 1-3 innings of relief in one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals, who couldnt solve Colons deceptive fastballs. "He has a different kind of movement and throws harder than what the gun reads," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. Dan Otero pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the best first half of the season for Oakland (47-34) since 1992, when the club started 48-33. The As remain a half-game behind Texas for the AL West lead, and the reigning division champions owe much of it to the big, burly pitcher on the mound. The As are 13-3 in Colons starts. "Do the math," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Its halfway through the season and hes got 11 wins." Colon tied his career high with eight consecutive wins -- which he did in 2005, when he won a career-best 21 games for the Angels and captured the AL Cy Young Award -- and hasnt lost since May 9 at Cleveland. Hes the first As pitcher since Barry Zito in 2005 to win eight in a row. The right-hander also is the first pitcher to win his first seven starts since turning 40, according to information from the Elias Sports Bureau provided by the As. But with every win, Colon also brings more attention and more scrutiny -- fair or not -- about how he is finding so much success at this stage of his career. Colon is among more than a dozen players who have been connected to a now-closed Miami anti-aging clinic under investigation by Major League Baseball for performance-enhancing drugs. The right-hander also missed the end of last season when he was suspended 50 games for testing positive for synthetic testosterone. The As and Colon have brushed off any clouds that come the pitchers way with the motto Melvin has instilled with everything else about his team: focus on the days task and nothing else. Colon carried a perfect game into the fifth, when Matt Holliday walked with one out. Matt Adams added a short fly that dropped in front of a diving Coco Crisp in centre field for the first hit off Colon, and David Freese followed with an RBI single for the Cardinals lone run. With Colon in complete control again, the As sent 10 batters to the plate and forced Miller to throw 51 pitches in the second inning. It was the most thrown in an inning by one pitcher this season, topping the 50 tossed by Arizonas Ian Kennedy against the Cardinals on June 6. "I just struggled. I wasnt throwing strikes and when I did throw strikes, they were right down the middle," Miller said. Vogt, filling in for the injured John Jaso, added his first career hit in the fourth and teammates initially acted as if nothing happened when he jogged back in the dugout. Then, everybody charged him at once. Vogt got the ball back from a 5-year-old in the stands. The youngster was given another ball and team memorabilia in exchange. NOTES: Members of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum presented Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo with his induction plaque in the dugout before the game. "Its a great honour and great privilege," said Oquendo, who batted .256 in 12 seasons and earned the nickname "The Secret Weapon" for playing every position during his career. ... As manager Bob Melvin said Jaso (injured left hand) might not start over the weekend but is available off the bench. ... San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was in the stands and wearing an As cap. ... The Cardinals send Adam Wainwright (10-5, 2.31) to the mound against Jarrod Parker (6-6, 4.27 ERA) on Saturday. Damien Wilson Super Bowl Jersey . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. Larry Johnson Super Bowl Jersey . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Patrick-Mahomes-II-Chiefs-Jersey/ . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. Chiefs Super Bowl Jerseys . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Cameron Erving Super Bowl Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Harlequins produced a strong second half performance to see off Worcester 36-14 and continue their impressive home form.It was a fifth home win in succession for Quins - a stark contrast to their poor away form which has seen them lose all four matches on the road.It was 7-7 at half-time with Worcester making too many basic errors to reward their first half superiority before the second half saw Quins step up a gear to collect a bonus point win.Joe Marchant, Danny Care, Mike Brown, Tim Visser and James Horwill scored their tries with Nick Evans kicking a penalty and three conversions. Tim Swiel added another conversion.An impressive Ben Teo spearheaded Worcesters performance and, along with his fellow centre Jackson Willison, they scored Warriors tries with Jamie Shillcock adding two conversions. Worcester dominated the opening minutes but it was the hosts, who took the lead against the run of play.From a position in the home 22, Visser intercepted a Dean Hammond pass to race away. The wing was chased down by Shillcock but Care was up in support to take Vissers pass to score. Evans converted before Shillcock had a chance to put his side on the scoreboard but his straight forward penalty attempt went wide.However Warriors soon overcame the miss to draw level after 10 minutes when from a line-out in the opposition 22, Teo brushed aside a poor tackle from Luke Wallace to create a try for Willison.After the exciting opening period, the game became error-ridden and disjointed but when Joe Marler was sin-binned for collapsing a maul, the visitors had their chance to capitalise.Ryan Lamb kicked tthe penalty to the corner to secure a five metre line-out but Warriors gave away their first penalty of the game by a careless off-side to allow Quins to relieve the pressure.dddddddddddd. In Marlers absence, Worcester never threatened the home sides try-line and the score remained 7-7 at the interval.Warriors were made to pay when Quins produced their best movement of the match to score their second try within five minutes of the restart. Strong runs from James Chisholm and Winston Stanley put the visitors defence on the back foot before Cares pass sent Horwill crashing over.Four minutes later, Quins scored their third try when Brown skipped past a couple of defenders for an excellent solo try with Evans converting to leave Warriors with a mountain to climb.To their credit, they responded immediately when a well-judged pass from Ryan Lamb created a gap for Willison, who raced through it to create a try for Teo.Worcester had another chance when on half-way, a Stanley pass was picked off by Phil Dowson but the veteran number 8 lacked the pace to make it to the line.With 17 minutes remaining, Warriors collapsed a driving maul and Evans stepped up to kick the first successful penalty of the game before, from the restart, Marchant intercepted a Lamb pass to run 70 metres to score.That try sealed the game for Quins, who introduced Mark Lambert for the prop to record his 200th game for the club before Visser crashed over to finish off the final movement of the match. 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