Gonzalez, A's get another chance at Yankees

June 1, 2011
NY YANKEES (30-23) vs.
A's (27-29)

Coverage begins at 12:30 P.M. on Comcast SportsNet California

OAKLAND (AP) -- Gio Gonzalez has looked dominant on the mound for the Oakland Athletics of late. That's hardly been the case for the left-hander at home against the New York Yankees.

Gonzalez likely will need to be at his best while trying to help the A's avoid a 10th consecutive loss to the Yankees in Wednesday's series finale at the Coliseum.

RELATED: Gio Gonzalez 2011 game logs

Curtis Granderson went 3 for 5 with a homer and four RBIs, and Alex Rodriguez had three hits with three RBIs as New York (30-23) continued its dominance of Oakland with a 10-3 win Tuesday.

The Yankees have scored 22 runs during a three-game winning streak, and won 10 of 14 overall to take a one-game lead in the AL East.

"We've been doing our job with men on base," said second baseman Robinson Cano, who hit a two-run homer Tuesday.

The Yankees have won 23 of 27 versus Oakland (27-29) since the start of the 2008 season. They have not won 10 straight over the A's since a 14-game run in 1956-57 when that franchise was based in Kansas City.

New York has hit eight home runs during a five-game winning streak in Oakland, where it has won nine of 10.

Oakland starters had allowed four runs or fewer in 28 straight games before Brett Anderson gave up 10 Tuesday.

REWIND: Anderson lit up by Yankees, A's lose

"What you need is to throw strikes and keep the pitch counts down so (the Yankee hitters) don't wear you down, and try to keep the ball in the park," A's manager Bob Geren told the team's official website.

The Yankees look to stay hot and continue their success against Gonzalez (5-2, 2.17 ERA), who gave up 10 runs and 10 walks in 8 1-3 innings while losing both of his only home starts against them - both in 2010.

Gonzalez, however, is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in five starts overall since losing to the Los Angeles Angels on April 25. He did labor while allowing an earned run and five walks in five innings before leaving without a decision in a 6-2 win over Baltimore on Friday.

"Definitely put myself through a roller-coaster ride," Gonzalez said.

Mark Teixeira, who had 10 homers and 22 RBIs in May, is batting .375 (3 for 8) with two doubles and a home run against Gonzalez. Derek Jeter is just 1 for 8 against Gonzalez, but had two hits Tuesday to move within 17 of 3,000 for his career.

Granderson is 1 for 6 versus Gonzalez, but has hit a major league-leading nine of his 17 homers against southpaws this season.

Scheduled New York starter A.J. Burnett (5-3, 3.99) allowed five runs in 13 innings to win both of his 2010 starts against the A's. He gave up two runs in seven innings of a 6-2 win on July 7 to improve to 1-2 with a 2.60 ERA in four starts at Oakland.

The right-hander gave up four runs and matched a season high with five walks in five innings but did not factor in the decision of a 4-3 loss at Seattle on Friday.

Oakland's David DeJesus is just 2 for 11 against Burnett, but was 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs Tuesday.

The A's have totaled three runs the last two games after they averaged 5.0 while winning a season-high four straight prior to this series.