A's make grade in sweeping Yankees

NEW YORK -- Barry Zito and the resurgent Athletics had a big weekend in the Bronx.

Zito won his fifth straight decision, Dan Johnson's second homer snapped an eighth-inning tie, and Oakland completed its first sweep at Yankee Stadium in 12 years by beating New York, 6-5, yesterday.

``It's huge. We definitely capitalized on their team being beat up," Zito said.

Nick Swisher hit an inside-the-park homer and Jason Kendall drove in two runs for the A's, who have won four in a row and seven of eight.

Jorge Posada homered and Robinson Cano had three hits for the Yankees, who held a team meeting before the game. They matched a season high with their fourth straight loss -- all at home -- after winning 11 of 14 overall.

Zito (7-3) beat New York for the first time since May 2003 despite tying his career high with seven walks. The lefthander allowed five runs and four hits in seven innings before a sellout crowd of 54,570. Huston Street worked a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 17 chances, and fourth in four days.

Shawn Chacon came off the disabled list and lasted five innings plus for the Yankees in his first outing since May 16. He gave up five runs -- three earned -- and six hits.

With the score tied, 5-5, Johnson drove a 1-1 pitch from Kyle Farnsworth (2-4) to the opposite field and just over the glove of a leaping Melky Cabrera in left.

``It wasn't a bad pitch, but it wasn't a good one. I beat him with the pitch, he just got the fat part of the bat on it," Farnsworth said. ``I guess the wind just kept on pushing it further and further into the corner."

Zito walked the bases loaded in the first before Bernie Williams delivered a sacrifice fly and Cano hit a two-out RBI single.

Johnson had a solo shot in the second, and Swisher tied it in the third with his 17th homer. With two outs, Swisher hit a long drive to left-center between Johnny Damon and Cabrera. Damon had the ball lined up as they closed in on each other, but the rookie's glove hit Damon in the face and they collided on the warning track.

The ball rolled about 15-20 feet away as Swisher circled the bases. He beat the relay with a slide at the plate for the first inside-the-park homer at Yankee Stadium since teammate Eric Chavez hit one for Oakland on Aug. 8, 2000.

Jay Payton's double set up Oakland's two-run fourth. One run scored on a passed ball, the other on Kendall's sacrifice fly.

Derek Jeter snapped an 0-for-14 skid with an RBI double in the fifth, and Posada's two-run homer gave New York a 5-4 lead.

A leadoff walk and a throwing error by third baseman Alex Rodriguez helped the A's tie it in the sixth on Kendall's RBI ground out.