Yanks Start Second Half With Easy 7-1 Win

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Oakland	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	9	1
N.Y. Yankees	1	0	3	2	0	1	0	0	X		7	10	0

You couldn't really ask for more in the first game back after the All-Star Break. The Yankees won easily tonight, defeating the A's by a score of 7-1. The A's scored a run off Mike Mussina in the first and took an early 1-0 lead, but he settled down, and the lead was short-lived.

Mussina didn't allow another run over the next five innings. In six innings Mussina allowed that lone run on nine hits, while striking out six and walking none. The strong start gave Mussina his 12th win of the season, one more than he had all of last year.

The bullpen was even more impressive. David Robertson came into the game in the 7th and struck out the side in order. Edwar Ramirez pitched the 8th and also retired the side in order, but he only struck out two of the three batters he faced. Latroy Hawkins came in for the 9th, and also pitched a 1-2-3 inning. He struck out one batter. Three innings, no hits, no runs, no walks, and six strikeouts for the Yankees pen tonight.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mussina (W, 12-6)	6.0	9	1	1	0	6	0	3.49
Robertson	1.0	0	0	0	0	3	0	2.00
Ramirez	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2.65
Hawkins	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5.63

A'S PITCHING

In his first at-bat as a Yankee Richie Sexson lined a two-out RBI single up the middle in the bottom 1st tonight to tie the game at one. Not a bad way to start your Yankee career.

The Yankees took the lead for good in the 3rd when Robinson Cano launched a three-run homer into the bleachers in right. The homer was Cano's seventh of the year.

They added two more in the 4th. Bobby Abreu doubled home Derek Jeter to give the Yankees a 5-1 lead, and Alex Rodriguez singled to drive in Abreu to make it 6-1.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 20th homer of the season to give the Yankees a 7-1 lead.

Oh, one more thing, Bobby Meacham continues to be way too aggressive with sending runners home. He got A-Rod thrown out in the first, he was out by about 15 feet and had to collide into A's catcher Kirt Suzuki. And he would have gotten Derek Jeter thrown out in the fouth - also by about 15 feet - had Suzuki not missed the ball.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	3	1	0	0	2	0	2	.282
Abreu, RF	5	2	2	1	0	0	1	.275
Rodriguez, A, 3B	4	2	3	2	1	1	1	.318
Posada, DH	1	1	0	0	3	0	2	.270
Sexson, 1B	3	0	1	1	1	1	3	.220
Cano, 2B	4	1	2	3	0	0	3	.249
Cabrera, CF	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	.245
Molina, C	4	0	0	0	0	1	2	.220
Gardner, LF	4	0	0	0	0	1	2	.150
Totals	32	7	10	7	7	4	16
BATTING 2B: Abreu (23, Smith), Cabrera (11, Blevins). HR: Cano (7, 3rd inning off Smith, 2 on, 2 out), Rodriguez, A (20, 6th inning off Braden, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Abreu 3; Rodriguez, A 6; Sexson; Cano 5; Cabrera 3. RBI: Sexson (31), Cano 3 (41), Abreu (60), Rodriguez, A 2 (55). 2-out RBI: Sexson; Cano 3; Abreu; Rodriguez, A. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano 2; Jeter. GIDP: Sexson. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Rodriguez, A (14, 2nd base off Smith/Suzuki).

A'S OFFENSE

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mike Mussina (6 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)

HONORABLE MENTION: Alex Rodriguez (3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, and a nice collision at home plate. Too bad Suzuki held on to the ball.)

The Yanks look to make it two-for-two after the break tomorrow afternoon in the Bronx. Joba Chamberlain will be on the mound for the Yankees, and he will be facing A's right-hander Sean Gallagher. Game Time: 1:05 p.m. - TV: YES - Radio: WCBS880