(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Oakland (65-68) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| N.Y. Yankees (84-50) « | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | x | 5 | 9 | 1 |
Last week I said that I didn't believe CC Sabathia is or should be the leading candidate for AL Cy Young. For the most part, I still feel that way, but a few more starts like Thursday's and he will be.
The left-hander was dominating over eight inning, completely shutting down what little offense the Oakland Athletics have to pick up his league-leading 19th win. One single, three walks, and a hit batter were all the A's could do against the Yankee Ace. CC breezed through most of the game, and at 95 pitches probably would have finished the game had it not been in so damn hot out.
A's starter Dallas Braden was also very good, holding the Yankees to just one run on two hits over the first five innings. But unlike CC, Braden couldn't take the heat and had to leave the game because of cramps.
The run came on Jorge Posada's 17th home run of the year. Posada has really been stepping up in the absence of A-Rod. Over his last 12, or just about the time A-Rod hit the DL, he's hitting .366/.458/.780 with 4 HR and 11 RBI.
Curtis Granderson then gave CC some more breathing room, with two home runs. The first was a solo shot off Jerry Blevins in the 6th. An inning later he would hit a two-run shot off Michael Wuertz. Granderson wasn't even in the starting lineup, and was only in the game because Nick Swisher had to leave with a bum knee.Austin Kearns drove in the Yanks fifth run with an RBI single in the 7th.
After CC exited the game, Joe Girardi called on Jonathan Albaladejo for the 9th. He gave up a hit and hit a batter, but held Oakland off the board as he wrapped up the Yankees 84th win of the year, and sixth in a row.
Tampa was off so the Yanks lead is up to a game and a half.
OK, so they proven they can beat the A's. Big deal, they've done it all year. Now it's time to beat up on Jose "Roids?" Bautista and the Blue Jays, who are 7-5 against the Yanks this year. Ivan Nova gets the ball in the opener for his first career start in the Bronx. Brandon Morrow will start for Toronto. First pitch is at 1:05pm and the game will be on YES.
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Derek Jeter, SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .266 |
| Nick Swisher, RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .295 |
| Curtis Granderson, CF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .249 |
| Mark Teixeira, 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .269 |
| Robinson Cano, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .321 |
| Marcus Thames, DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .304 |
| a- Lance Berkman, PH-DH | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .241 |
| Jorge Posada, C | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .265 |
| Austin Kearns, LF-RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .269 |
| Eduardo Nunez, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 |
| Ramiro Pena, 3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .221 |
| Brett Gardner, CF-LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .284 |
| Totals | 31 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 6 | | |
| a-grounded out for Thames in the 6th | ||||||||
| Batting | ||||||||
| HR - Curtis Granderson 2 (17, Blevins, Wuertz), Jorge Posada (17, Braden) | ||||||||
| RBI - Curtis Granderson 3 (45), Jorge Posada (51), Austin Kearns (49) | ||||||||
| 2-OUT RBI - Curtis Granderson 2 (17) | ||||||||
| SB - Eduardo Nunez (3, 3rd base off Wuertz/Powell) | ||||||||
| CS - Derek Jeter (5, 2nd base by Blevins/Powell) | ||||||||
| PK - Robinson Cano (2, Braden) | ||||||||
| RISP - 1-10 (Derek Jeter 0-2, Mark Teixeira 0-1, Eduardo Nunez 0-1, Brett Gardner 0-2, Lance Berkman 0-1, Austin Kearns 1-2, Robinson Cano 0-1) Team LOB - 8 | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| DP - Nunez-Cano-Teixeira | ||||||||
| E - Jorge Posada (8, Throwing) | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| CC Sabathia (W,19-5) | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3.02 |
| Jonathan Albaladejo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.45 |
| HBP - Larish (by CC Sabathia), Suzuki (by Jonathan Albaladejo) | ||||||||
| Pitches-Strikes - CC Sabathia 95-58, Jonathan Albaladejo 11-7 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - CC Sabathia 13-6, Jonathan Albaladejo 1-2 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - CC Sabathia 29, Jonathan Albaladejo 4 | ||||||||
| PLAYER OF THE GAME: CC Sabathia HONORABLE MENTION: Curtis Granderson |
