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CC tries to get off the schneid in Oakland

May 26, 2012 - 2:31 PM (Sports Network) - After starting the season a red-hot 5-0, Yankees ace CC Sabathia has fallen back to earth in his last two starts.

This afternoon Sabathia will attempt to avoid losing his third consecutive game when the Yankees continue a three-game weekend set with the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum.

The left-hander allowed four earned runs over six innings of work in a 5-2 loss to the Orioles on May 15, and though he pitched better in his next start against the Reds (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 6 K), he was once again on the losing end of the scoreboard as the Yankees fell 5-2 on Sunday.

Sabathia, who hasn't lost three straight starts with the Yankees, will need to work against history if he wants to get back on track, as he is just 3-5 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP in 11 career starts in Oakland.

Veteran right-hander Bartolo Colon will toe the rubber for the Athletics. Colon out-dueled Tim Lincecum his last time out by allowing two earned runs and striking out seven in five innings of work in a 6-2 win over the Giants. It marked Colon's first win since April 18, pulling his record to an even 4-4 on the season.

Colon, who won eight games as a member of the Yankees in 2011, has struggled against New York in his career, going 4-5 in 12 starts while registering an ERA of 6.07.

The Yankees took the first game of the series on Friday, 6-3.

Mark Teixeira was 2-for-5 with a home run. It was just the sixth long ball for the slugger this season, as he is again off to a slow start with a .231 batting average and a meager 23 RBI in 45 games.

Robinson Cano also belted his sixth long ball, while Nick Swisher joined the barrage as well with his eighth home run. It was only a matter of time before the homers started flying out for the Yankees, who have now hit seven home runs in the past three games.

"The last few games have been good for us," Teixeira said. "We're used to scoring that many runs. It's kind of more normal for us...We're a team that's used to hitting a lot of (homers) and we'd like to hit a little bit more.

Ivan Nova was strong in the win, going seven innings while giving up three earned runs. Despite an ERA of 5.46 on the season, Nova's record improved to 5-2.

Rafael Soriano struck out two in the ninth for his fourth save.

For the A's, Tyson Ross (2-5) was roughed up for 11 hits and six runs (three earned) in 4 1/3 innings.

Josh Reddick continued his breakout campaign by blasting his 12th home run of the season, eclipsing his total from the last three seasons combined.