HOUSTON -- When the Houston Astros suffered through a grueling offensive slump that bridged the final two games of July with the opening week of August, they hoped that the additions of Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel would eventually lengthen their lineup and correct their problems.The Astros scored a total of 18 runs while losing eight of 10 games before finding their fting in Minnesota on Aug. 9. On Saturday night, in their 6-2 win over the Rays, the Astros (68-61) showcased the balanced offense they sorely craved.In attacking Rays left-hander Blake Snell, the Astros banged out nine with him on the mound and closed the game with five starters recording multi-hit games. By spreading hits up and down their lineup, the Astros overwhelmed Snell and set the stage for a series sweep on Sunday.Its a weird discipline to ask out of your hitters to be ready to hit on every pitch but dont swing at everything, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. I thought we did a really gd job tonight of making (Snell) get his breaking ball over. We didnt chase any breaking balls in the dirt or not very many of them. The changeup was really very effective early on for him but we hit his fastball, and then the second time through we hit his changeup. I like how our guys stayed very focused in the strike zone.Right-hander Doug Fister (12-8, 3.59 ERA) will take the hill for Houston coming off his best start of the season. On Monday against the Pirates, Fister worked seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk with six strikeouts in a 3-1 win. He did not face the Rays when the teams squared off in Tampa Bay in mid-June, but Fister is 2-4 with a 3.63 ERA over seven career appearances (six starts) against them.Right-hander Chris Archer (7-17, 4.11 ERA) will get the start for the Rays (54-74), seeking to continue his exceptional pitching against the Astros.Archer is 3-2 with a 1.31 ERA in six career starts against the Astros. Two of his three career shutouts have come against Houston, including a one-hitter on Aug. 20, 2015 at Minute Maid Park and a five-hit shutout at Tropicana Field on July 14, 2013.The road shutout against the Astros came in his previous appearance in Houston, a 1-0 win over right-hander Collin McHugh in which Archer threw just 98 pitches. In that start, Archer became the first American League pitcher to throw a one-hit shutout with 10-plus strikeouts and less than 100 pitches since Yankees right-hander David Cone twirled a perfect game against the Montreal Expos on July 18, 1999.The Rays will need Archer to pitch effectively and efficiently. They lost Snell to an injury one batter into the fourth inning on Saturday, forcing manager Kevin Cash to dip into his bullpen earlier than he expected.Its unfortunate because Kevin Jepsen really shouldnt have been pitching, Cash said. Now, tonight was injury-related, and (Danny) Farquhar comes in and gives us two innings.The bullpen is getting taxed a little bit. We need to straighten that out. San Diego Padres Store . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Custom San Diego Padres Jerseys . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. https://www.cheappadresjerseys.us/ . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Stitched Padres Jerseys . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Padres Jerseys China . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills rkie linebacker Shaq Lawson will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season.The Bills placed their first-round draft pick on the reserve/physically unable to perform list Tuesday as part of a series of moves trim their roster to the NFL-maximum 75 players. Lawson only began working out on his own two weeks ago since having shoulder surgery in May to repair an injury that nagged him at Clemson.The designation means the pass-rushing specialist must sit out the first six weeks of the season before he can begin practicing. The Bills would then have five weeks to determine whether to activate him or place him on the season-ending injured/reserve list.Veteran receiver Marcus Easley, who is still recuperating from a season-ending knee injury last year, was also placed on the same list as Lawson.Buffalo also added a player to address its pass-rushing and special teams depth by acquiring linebacker Lerentee McCray in trade with Green Bay. In exchange, the Bills gave up an undisclosed pick in the 2018 draft.At 6-ft-3 and 249 pounds, McCray spent his first two seasons with Denver before signing with Green Bay this past offseason. He was used mostly on special teams in 24 games with the Broncos.McCray became the odd man out in Green Bay in losing a backup job behind converted defensive lineman Datone Jones and Jayrone Elliott.In other moves, Buffalo released nine players, including receiver Greg Little and linebackers David Hawthorne and Eric Striker. The Billls signed Striker as an undrafted rkie free agent out of Oklahoma and after he gained attention by making an emotionally uplifting speech to his family and friends about not being selected.ddddddddddddStriker tearfully thanked everyone for being with him through the draft process, and assured them he will persevere.Tight end Chris Gragg was one of three players placed on waived/injured, four days after he tore a ligament in his left knee in a 21-16 preseason loss at Washington. Cornerback Jonathan Dowling and offensive tackle Justin Renfrow were also waived/injured.The Bills also cut defensive tackles Alameda Taamu and Justin Zimmer, quarterback Austin Trainor, tight end Jimmay Mundine, center Robert Kugler and long-snapper Reid Ferguson. The Bills signed Trainor on Monday as insurance in the event a sore shoulder would prevent third-string quarterback Cardale Jones from playing in Buffalos preseason finale at Detroit on Thursday night.Rkie second-round pick, linebacker Reggie Ragland, was placed on reserve/injured three weeks after sustaining a season-ending knee injury. Rkie sixth-round pick, receiver Kolby Listenbee, was placed on the reserve/non-ftball injury list. Hes still recovering from offseason groin surgery.---AP Sports Writer Genaro Armas in Green Bay, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '