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Yankees-Athletics Preview

Aug 18, 2009 - 6:25 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

New York (74-45) at Oakland (53-65), 10:05 p.m. EDT

A power surge at the plate has helped the New York Yankees move to the top of the AL standings, but the Oakland Athletics managed to make that formidable lineup look very ordinary in the last game.

The Yankees will try to avoid a third straight loss Tuesday when they continue their three-game series with the Athletics.

New York (74-45) lost 3-0 to Oakland (53-65). It was only the fourth time the Yankees have been shut out and first since June 23 against Atlanta. They had seven hits in the loss, including three by Derek Jeter, but were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

"It's frustrating to lose like that since A.J. (Burnett) pitched so well," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He deserved better. Our starter goes eight innings and we get shut out. That's something you don't see every day. We're surprised we got shut out. We have a good offensive team."

New York is 2-1 in games after previously being shut out. The Yankees haven't lost three in a row since July 30-Aug. 1 against the White Sox. They're hitting .221 with three runs and four extra-base hits in the two losses after averaging 6.2 runs and batting .299 with 28 home runs in the previous 13 games.

Despite the two losses, they still have the best record in the AL ahead of the Los Angeles Angels.

A lot of run support may be needed Tuesday if CC Sabathia (13-7, 3.64 ERA) can't find the answer to his struggles in Oakland.

The left-hander, who is looking to join Boston's Josh Beckett and St. Louis' Adam Wainwright as the only 14-game winners in the majors, has won his last three starts while giving up only one run and five hits in his last two. He allowed one run and three hits in eight innings of an 11-1 victory over the Mariners on Thursday, striking out a season-high 10.

Sabathia, though, is 1-4 with a 7.12 ERA at Oakland, and he has lost his last four starts at Oakland Coliseum, near where he grew up. He has a 10.07 ERA during that stretch and is winless in his last five starts there.

"I must have done something bad here as a kid because I have some bad karma here," Sabathia said Monday. "Hopefully, I can change it (Tuesday)."

Sabathia is 1-0 with a 5.93 ERA in two starts against Oakland at home this season. The Yankees have won both of those starts.

The Athletics, meanwhile, are looking to win their third straight. Kurt Suzuki and Mark Ellis had RBI hits in a three-run fourth Monday. Ellis, who hit a walk-off home run against the White Sox on Sunday, has driven in 15 runs in the last nine games.

Oakland will hand the ball to rookie Vin Mazzaro (4-8, 5.54), who has defeated Kansas City and Baltimore in his last two starts. The rookie right-hander won his first two starts but went 0-8 with a 7.72 ERA in the 10 outings after that.

Mazzaro gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 6-3 win over the Orioles on Wednesday.

He gave up six runs and eight hits while walking four over 4 1-3 innings of a 6-3 loss to the Yankees on July 23. Mark Teixeira hit a home run off him in that game.