Yanks Knock Off A's to Make it Seven in a Row

(REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
OAK	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0		3	9	0
NYY	0	0	0	4	2	0	0	0	X		6	10	0

WP - CC Sabathia (10-6)
LP - Vin Mazzaro (2-7)
SV - Phil Hughes (1)

Another day, another win for the hard-charging Yanks. Tonight it was a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. The Yanks are now 58-37, a season-high 21 games over .500. They also gained a half-game over the idle Boston Red Sox to increase their lead to 2.5 games.

Things didn't start smoothly for the Yanks tonight. Not only did they have to sit through a 2-hour, 43-minute rain delay, but they also fell behind 3-0 in the top of the fourth. CC Sabathia was shaky over the first three, and A's starter Vin Mazzaro cruised through the first three and looked like he might be headed for a gem.

That said, was anyone really that concerned? Unless they're playing the Sox or the Angels, do you even worry anymore? This team has been the best team in baseball for almost 70 games now and they've consistently shown the ability to comeback in games. Tonight was no different.

The Yanks quickly turned their 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead with four runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Mark Teixeira got things started with a two-run homer. After Alex Rodriguez walked and stole second, Jorge Posada drove him in with an RBI double to tie the game. The Yanks then took the lead on a two-out RBI single off the bat of Eric Hinske. I didn't think it would be at the time, but the addition of Hinske has really be great for the Yanks.

They'd tac on two more in next inning to put the game away. The first run came on a Teixeira RBI double, scoring Jeter, who led off the inning with a walk. Jorge Posada capped off the scoring with an RBI single.

After the Yanks took the lead CC settled down and held the A's scoreless through the seventh. It was the thirteenth time this season that CC has pitched at least 7 innings in a start. Tonight he allowed 3 runs on 9 hits, did not walk a batter, struck out 4, and threw 71 of his 109 pitches for strikes. Tonight's win was his team-leading tenth of the season.

Phil Hughes pitched two more spotless innings out of the pen to finish off this one and pick up his first major league save. He retired all six batters he faced and threw 19 of his 28 pitches for strikes.

These two teams meet again later tonight in the Bronx, with Joba Chamberlain facing off against left-hander Brett Anderson. The Yanks will be going for their eighth straight.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	4	1	1	0	1	2	2	.316
Damon, LF	4	2	2	0	0	1	1	.281
Teixeira, 1B	4	1	2	3	0	2	1	.279
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	1	0	0	1	2	2	.253
Matsui, H, DH	3	0	0	0	1	1	1	.257
Posada, C	4	1	2	2	0	1	0	.286
Cano, 2B	4	0	1	0	0	0	4	.310
Hinske, RF	3	0	1	1	0	1	3	.266
Cabrera, Me, RF	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.277
Gardner, CF	3	0	0	0	1	1	2	.274
Totals	33	6	10	6	4	11	16
BATTING 2B: Posada (14, Mazzaro), Teixeira (25, Mazzaro), Cabrera, Me (15, Casilla, S). HR: Teixeira (24, 4th inning off Mazzaro, 1 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter; Damon 2; Teixeira 6; Posada 3; Cano; Hinske; Cabrera, Me 2. RBI: Teixeira 3 (70), Posada 2 (44), Hinske (17). 2-out RBI: Hinske. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Jeter 2; Gardner; Hinske 2. Team RISP: 4-for-13. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner (20, 2nd base off Mazzaro/Suzuki, K), Rodriguez, A (6, 2nd base off Mazzaro/Suzuki, K). FIELDING DP: (Jeter-Cano-Teixeira).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia (W, 10-6)	7.0	9	3	3	0	4	0	3.67
Hughes, P (S, 1)	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3.51

ATHLETICS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mark Teixeira (2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, R)

HONORABLE MENTION: CC Sabathia (W, 7 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees vs. Athletics
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
RHP Joba Chamberlain (5-2, 4.05) vs. LHP Brett Anderson (5-7, 4.25)