ATLANTA - Mike Minor needed a reason to believe he could work his way back to his 2013 form. Beating Jon Lester could provide that confidence boost. Minor pitched seven strong innings, Justin Upton and Chris Johnson homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the reeling Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Sunday night, ending Lesters seven-game winning streak. "Thats Mike Minor of old right there," Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman said. The Braves swept the three-game series, leaving the As with a five-game losing streak, their longest of the season. The As have lost seven of eight overall and trail the Angels, who lost to Texas on Sunday, by percentage points in the AL West. "This is really the first bad road trip weve had this year," manager Bob Melvin said. "This was not a good trip. So weve got to get home and weve got to regroup. It will be good to get home in front of our crowd. Theyre usually good for us." Minor (5-8), who entered with a 5.33 ERA, allowed two runs in a performance reminiscent of last season, when he was 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA. "Were going to need him rolling to get us where were going to go," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. Oaklands Nate Freiman hit two homers, giving him three in the series, but Minor allowed only two other hits. "I feel like Im in a different mindset," Minor said after his second straight quality start. Craig Kimbrel worked a perfect ninth for his 37th save. Lester (13-8) allowed four runs, three earned, and six hits in six-plus innings in his first loss since June 7 for the Red Sox at Detroit. He had been 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA in three starts since his July 31 trade to the As. Upton hit four homers in the 10-game homestand, including two against the As. He has hit 16 of his 23 homers at Turner Field. Freiman led off the second inning with a drive that landed several rows beyond the centre-field wall. The Braves tied it in the bottom half. After Upton singled, Johnson lined to third baseman Josh Donaldson, who threw to first base in an attempt for a double play. The throw hit Upton and rolled into the Atlanta dugout, and Upton was awarded third base. Evan Gattis followed with a run-scoring single to right field. Phil Gosselin led off the Atlanta fourth with a single to right field. With one out, Upton drove a low, inside pitch from Lester about 10 rows deep into the left-field seats for a 3-1 lead. "I thought it was a good pitch when I threw it," Lester said. "I went back and looked at it and, good pitch. So sometimes youve got to tip your hat." 0-FOR-EVER Lester is still waiting for his first career hit. He was 0 for 34 in eight seasons with Boston and his drought continued in his first two at-bats with the As. He struck out and hit a fly ball to left field. GOING WITH GOSSELIN Gosselin was 1 for 4 in his third straight start, including two straight at second base over another rookie, Tommy La Stella, who struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh. Gosselin hit his first homer in the series opener and had two hits in Saturday nights win. TRAINERS ROOM Athletics: CF Craig Gentry, on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right hand, is ready to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento. Braves: Gonzalez said RHP Shae Simmons (strained right shoulder) will make a second rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday after throwing 10 pitches without a problem on Saturday. UP NEXT Athletics: After an off day on Monday, the As take on another NL East team when they open a two-game series against the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Scott Kazmir (13-5), who already has matched his career high in wins, will start for Oakland. Braves: After completing their 10-game homestand, the Braves open a series at Pittsburgh on Monday night as RHP Ervin Santana goes for his 13th win. Santana (12-6) leads the Braves in victories. Jason Spezza Jersey . -- Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias says he has stress fractures in both legs and isnt sure when hell be able to play again, leaving the Tigers two weeks to fill his spot for opening day and perhaps a lot longer. Matt Duchene Jersey . Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. He guided Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian championship this season. http://www.authenticsenatorspro.com/Dani...ors-jersey/.com) - Many people at Eastern Washington are waiting to see if star quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. Mikkel Boedker Jersey . The 41-year-old Northern Irishman has proved a perfect fit at Liverpool since taking over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 2012 and steered the team to an unexpected title challenge in the Premier League last season. Ottawa Senators Jerseys . The flanker began his comeback from a right shoulder injury by coming off the bench on Saturday when Wales opened with a victory over Italy. Warburton replaces Justin Tipuric, one of three changes announced on Tuesday by coach Warren Gatland.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker loves a good challenge. So when Stephen Curry started lighting it up Monday night in his homecoming game, Walker decided it was time to match him. The other eight players might as well have been on the bench watching in the final few minutes, when Walker scored Charlottes final 15 points to lead the Bobcats to a 115-111 victory over Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Walker finished with 31 points -- 27 in the second half -- while battling neck and neck with Curry, who finished with a season-high 43 points, 32 of them coming in the second half including 19 in the final quarter. When it was suggested it was like watching a pair of heavyweight champions going at it, teammate Gerald Henderson looked over at his 6-foot-1, 184-pound teammate and cracked, "Well, maybe a featherweight championship fight." Walker just smiled and shook his head, perhaps too tired to fire back a witty volley after spending the night fighting through screens and chasing Curry around the court. "It is fun," Walker said of facing Curry. "Everybody knows hes a great player, a great scorer. I love to play against the best. He made some tough shots. I thought I played some good defence, but it was better offence at times. We came out with the win. Thats all I really care about at this point." Curry, a Charlotte native who burst on the national scene while playing at nearby Davidson College, said it was fun playing well in front of his family, including his father Dell, a former NBA player and now a broadcaster with the Bobcats. Even so, taking the loss was disappointing. "This one stings worse than it has stung in a while," Curry said. Curry was impressed with Walkers effort. "Hey man, the guy made big plays down the stretch," he said. "He got to the lane and made some tough shots. He kept them just ahead of us. Im sure that is what they expect him to do, and what he expects to do every night." The Warriors (12-11) never led, but tied the game at 88-all on a pair of free throws by Curry. But Ramon Sessions scored on a pair of drives and the seldom-used Ben Gordon knocked down a 3-pointer to quickly push the lead back to seven with 6:50 left in thee game.dddddddddddd Walker hit a 3-pointer and a fall away in the lane to help stretch the lead to 11. But Curry kept coming. He knocked down a 28-footer with Walkers hand in his face to cut the Bobcats lead to 111-109 with 11 seconds left. But the Warriors were forced to foul and Walker hit four free throws in the final 11 seconds to seal the victory. Henderson had 24 points and Josh McRoberts had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats (10-11), who won their second straight game. Walker finished 10 of 18 from the field. "Kemba is A-1 competitor and that is a well-rounded game he played because he played tenacious, I dont care how many points (Curry) had," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "... Some of Currys shots were just unguardable." Curry was 3 of 11 in the first half, but got hot late in the third quarter and finished 14 of 32 from the field against a Bobcats team that hadnt allowed 100 points in 13 straight games. He was only 5 of 16 from 3-point range, but was 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. Curry also had nine assists. The Warriors fell behind by 12 at the half after shooting 1 of 12 from 3-point range. Warriors coach Mark Jackson said before the game that Currys play has been "spectacular" this season. "Hes been playing at a whole different level," Jackson said. "Hes playing and acting like hes the best player on the floor night in and night out, carrying us down the stretch, making plays, choosing when to take over offensively and he knows when to facilitate." "You see his scoring and you fall in love with his jump shot. Hes a guy thats among the league leaders in assists also. Hes playing at a different level. Hes getting to the level of the baddest man on the planet. Its really fun to see. It takes everyone else to another level." NOTES: David Lee had 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for the Warriors. ... Clay Thompson was slapped with a technical foul after slamming the padding underneath the basket when he got upset over a foul that was called on him. ... Gordon had a season-high 12 points for Charlotte. He played more with Jeffery Taylor out with an injury. ... Curry has scored 20 or points 14 times this season. 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