With ease, Mussina gets A's
NEW YORK - Mike Mussina received plenty of support from the New York Yankees, and newcomer Richie Sexson was right in the middle of it.
Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer, Alex Rodriguez also connected, and New York built an early cushion for Mussina in a 7-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics last night.
Sexson hit an RBI single in his first at-bat with the Yankees, and Mussina (12-6) pitched six effective innings to tie Cleveland's Cliff Lee and fellow All-Star Joe Saunders of the Los Angeles Angels for most wins in the American League.
"We looked good today. If we can look like this every day, we've got a chance," Mussina said.
Mussina was left off the All-Star team for Tuesday night's showcase at Yankee Stadium, yet he's certainly pitched like one of baseball's best this season.
The 39-year-old righthander allowed eight singles and a double, but pitched out of trouble and did not walk a batter for the eighth time this year.
Relying on pinpoint control, he has 16 walks in 20 starts spanning 113 1/3 innings.
Mussina gave up an RBI groundout to Ryan Sweeney in the first, then settled in to finish with six strikeouts despite not throwing his deceptive changeup all game.
"That's just the way it evolved," Mussina said.
David Robertson struck out all three hitters in the seventh, Edwar Ramirez worked a perfect eighth, and LaTroy Hawkins tossed a 1-2-3 ninth as New York pitchers combined to retire its final 14 batters - seven on strikeouts.
Bobby Abreu added an RBI double for the Yankees and Rodriguez (three hits) had a run-scoring single off lefty Greg Smith (5-8), handed the ball when scheduled starter Joe Blanton was traded to Philadelphia Thursday.
"I wasn't throwing on short rest or anything, so that was fine," Smith said after the shortest outing of his brief career. "There was a little bit of rust, but I'm not going to make excuses. I just didn't have it tonight."
The A's, who won six of their previous seven at Yankee Stadium, have lost three straight overall for the first time since dropping four in a row May 28-31.
New York, which began a stretch that includes 13 of 16 games at home, equaled a season high by winning its fifth consecutive home game.
Looking for another second-half surge to match last year, the Yankees scored six runs with two outs. They hope Sexson can provide some pop from the right side against lefthanded pitching, and he delivered immediately with a two-out RBI single in the first that tied it at 1. 