Yankees 5, A's 1
Masahiro Tanaka pitched seven effective innings and the New York Yankees scored four times in the top of the fourth inning in a 5-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday afternoon at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
Tanaka (2-0) made his sixth start on five days' rest and helped the Yankees (20-22) get their season-high fourth straight win, allowing one run and five hits. He struck out four, walked two and collected nearly half of his 21 outs on the ground.
Carlos Beltran had an RBI double and Rob Refsnyder added a two-run double for the Yankees, who have won 11 of their last 16 games. Aaron Hicks also had a sacrifice fly as New York scored at least four runs for a season-high fourth straight game.
Starlin Castro had three hits, and his RBI double in the seventh accounted for New York's final run.
Oakland rookie Sean Manaea (1-2) gave up five runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Manaea retired the first nine hitters on 33 pitches but loaded the bases with none out on the fourth on two walks and an infield hit.
The Yankees took a 2-0 lead on Beltran's hard line drive single to left field and a sacrifice fly by Hicks.
With two outs, Refsnyder finished off a 10-pitch at-bat with a two-run double to the warning track in right field.
New York scored its final run in the seventh when Castro chased Manaea with a double to left field.
Danny Valencia's sacrifice fly accounted for the lone Oakland run.
The Athletics lost for the 13th time in 19 games and also lost outfielder Khris Davis to a tight right forearm.
Oakland opened the fifth by putting two on after a walk to Matt McBride and a single by Max Muncy. After loading the bases with one out, Oakland scored its first run on Valencia's sacrifice fly, but Tanaka escaped again by fanning Davis.
Tanaka then quickly finished the next two innings, needing only 13 pitches.
NOTES: New York DH Alex Rodriguez (strained right hamstring) was not activated from the disabled list Saturday. Manager Joe Girardi said Rodriguez will return Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. ... Oakland C/1B Stephen Vogt was not in the starting lineup after getting hit in the left wrist Friday, but manager Bob Melvin hopes he can play Sunday. ... Oakland IF Jed Lowrie (right shin contusion) will appear in a rehab game for Triple-A Nashville Sunday and is expected to rejoin the Athletics on Monday in Seattle. ... INF/OF Rob Refsnyder made his first major league start in right field. He played right field in college at the University of Arizona and played there five times in his last 12 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... Saturday marked the 16th time the Yankees faced a left-handed starting pitcher.