Dallas Braden allowed one run over five innings and Jack Hannahan hit a three-run homer as the Oakland Athletics ended a six-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. 

It's been more than three months since the Tampa Bay Rays lost two in a row at home. 

With this year's baseball trading season already taking on the qualities of a Turkish bazaar, the Philadelphia Phillies added to the drama Thursday, July 17, by acquiring starting pitcher Joe Blanton from the Oakland A's for three minor league prospects. 

MEDICAL WATCH: 1B Wes Bankston (cramps) left the July 19 game and did not play on July 20. 

Never the strength of the club this year, the A's hitting has taken a sharp dive of late, in part because of the extended absences of designated hitters Frank Thomas and Mike Sweeney and third baseman Eric Chavez. 

--INF Brooks Conrad was called up from Class AAA Sacramento and went 0-for-3 in his major league debut at Tampa Bay, playing third base. 

A return home following the All-Star break appears to be what the Tampa Bay Rays needed to bounce back from their longest losing streak of the season. 

Scott Kazmir is an All-Star who's beginning to pitch like one again. 

The Brewers acquired another All-Star over the weekend, bringing second baseman Ray Durham to the squad in exchange for minor leaguers. 

Oakland designated hitter Frank Thomas, sidelined almost two months because of right quadriceps tendinitis, has been cleared to start a running program on Friday. 

Entering 2008, many fantasy baseball managers believed it was simply a matter of time before Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton took over as the team's closer from relief pitcher Takashi Saito (elbow). 

MEDICAL WATCH: 1B Wes Bankston (cramps) left the July 19 game and did not play on July 20. 

Oakland is moving parts left and right, with Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin going to the Cubs and Joe Blanton to the Phillies, and there is every chance that there will be more trades coming in as the trade deadline nears. 

--1B Daric Barton was placed on the 15-day DL with neck stiffness, the result of diving into a swimming pool that was shallower than Barton had realized during the All-Star break. 

One after another, the New York Yankees kept putting runners on base and leaving them out there to wilt in the heat.