OAKLAND, Calif. -- As if Tommy Milone needed any more pressure on him after the Oakland Athletics lost his first five starts, the team sent struggling Dan Straily to Triple-A Sacramento before the game -- sending a message that he could be next one bumped from the rotation. Milone responded with one of the best outings of his young career. The lefty tossed eight innings of two-hit ball for his first win of the season, and three teammates homered to power the As past the Washington Nationals 8-0 on Friday night. "I think maybe a little bit of a vote of confidence that it wasnt him (sent down)," As manager Bob Melvin said. Brandon Moss homered and had three RBIs, and Yoenis Cespedes and John Jaso each hit a solo shot to back Milones gem. Milone (1-3) struck out seven and walked three, leaving after 108 pitches. Milone said he didnt look at the clubs move to demote Straily instead of him as any kind of boost. Instead, he said he embraced the chance to pitch under pressure. "I think just the energy level, I felt lifted -- just grab the ball, get on the mound and throw it," Milone said. Fernando Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth in his first appearance in the majors since October 2012 after rehabbing from elbow ligament replacement surgery. Moss and Cespedes homered on consecutive pitches in the fifth as the AL West-leading As foiled Doug Fisters season debut. Fister (0-1) allowed nine hits and seven runs in 4 1-3 innings. He struck out two and walked none. "Physically, I felt like I was in the right place," Fister said. "I felt strong. It was lack of execution." The biggest trouble Milone faced came in the seventh, when he struck out Danny Espinosa with runners on first and second to end the inning. It was the first time Milone, who made his major league debut for the Nationals in 2011, completed at least seven innings this season. Milones teammates credited his ability to pitch inside and low in the strike zone. "He was awesome. Thats pretty much all I got," Moss said. "Weve definitely seen that all before from him." Nationals manager Matt Williams was all smiles before the game with Fister back and his rotation finally at full strength. Washington acquired Fister from Detroit during the off-season for left-handers Robbie Ray and Ian Krol and utility man Steve Lombardozzi. The Nationals entered the spring expecting Fister to help fill out the back end of the rotation. But he dealt with elbow inflammation in March and sat out the start of the season because of a strained back muscle. The native of nearby Merced in Californias Central Valley made his Nationals debut in front of several family members at the Coliseum -- though the free-swinging As hitters never allowed him to feel at home. Fister put himself in a jam in the first by overthrowing first baseman Kevin Frandsen on a grounder by Josh Donaldson, who advanced to third on the play -- one of three errors by the Nationals. Moss followed with an RBI single to give the As a 1-0 lead. "When you give them extra outs, youre asking for trouble," Williams said. Most of Oaklands runs, though, came via the long ball: Jaso hit his second home run of the season in the third, Moss hit his sixth homer in the fifth and Cespedes followed with his seventh homer on the next pitch to put the As up 7-0. It was the first time the As hit back-to-back home runs this season. NOTES: An MRI confirmed As CF Coco Crisp has a strained neck, Melvin said. Crisp, who was injured when he crashed into the wall to make a leaping catch in the opener of Wednesdays doubleheader, is day to day. ... The As placed reliever Ryan Cook on the 15-day disabled with a strained right forearm. Cook and Melvin said they dont believe the injury is serious. ... Nationals OF Nate McLouth is expected to start Saturday after cutting his right hand while making a diving catch in foul territory Monday. ... RHP Sonny Gray (4-1, 1.91 ERA) goes for the As on Saturday against Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (2-1, 4.17 ERA). Bill Laimbeer Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Tracy McGrady Jersey .J. Hardy finally got in on the fun Saturday, against a likely opponent. https://www.pistonsrookiesshop.com/Reggie-Bullock-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday. Markieff Morris Pistons Jersey . TSNs coverage of the Third Round gets underway Sunday with Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago at 3pm et/Noon pt. TSNs broadcast schedule for the Third Round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs is as follows: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings• Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago – Sunday, May 18 at 3pm et/Noon pt• Game 2: Los Angeles at Chicago – Wednesday, May 21 at 8pm et/5pm pt• Game 4: Chicago at Los Angeles – Monday, May 26 at 9pm et/6pm pt Featured in the broadcast booth for TSN are play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert and game analyst Ray Ferraro, with Farhan Lalji contributing reports from rinkside. Bruce Brown Jr. Pistons Jersey . MacArthur scored two goals, and the Senators outlasted Detroit in a testy third period to beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday night.New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will appeal against his four-game ban for the second time, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has confirmed. Brady was scheduled to be banned for the first four games of 2015 after a lengthy investigation into the Deflategate scandal during the play-offs the previous season.That suspension, handed down by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, was vacated in September of last year, allowing Brady to play the entire season and lead the Patriots to the AFC Championship game, where they were beaten by eventual Super Bowl champions Denver. Last month, more than 15 months after the Colts game took place, Bradys ban was reactivated by circuit judges Barrington Parker Jr and Denny Chin, despite previous decisions made by the Supreme Court and other appeals courts.Bradys legal team is asking for an en banc hearing, which means the appeal would be put before all of the judges on the Second Circuit - ESPN reports that the Supreme Court could again hear the case if their request is rejected.NFLPA attorney Theodore Olson said on ABC News: The facts here are so drastic and so apparent that the court should rehear it.Our two primary arguments are that the commissioner in the first place conducted an investigation and then the commissioner impossed discipline.ddddddddddddThen the commissioner appointed himself as an appellate judge or an arbitrator and then decided something new in the appellate process, abandoning the grounds that were the original basis for the supposed discipline. Jimmy Garoppolo would likely start if Brady is banned Thats No. 1, and an appellate judge is supposed to look at the record and make a decision on the basis of what happened before. He departed from what happened before.Secondly, he ignored important provisions of the CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement] about discipline that might be imposed for equipment violations. He departed from that completely and went off the track.Should Bradys ban be upheld again, he stands to miss games against the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, with Jimmy Garoppolo again standing by to start in his place. Also See: NFL Video Rookies guide NFL on Sky Sports Pundits ' ' '