Heavy-hitting Yanks continue series with A's

Baseball Betting Lines

09/01/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Six homers in two games and four consecutive victories have helped the New York Yankees regain sole possession of first place in the American League East. If they want to stay there, A.J. Burnett better figure things out in a hurry.

Burnett will try to avoid a fifth straight losing decision when New York continues a four-game series versus the Oakland Athletics this evening at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees smashed three homers in Monday's series-opening 11-5 victory, then added three more in last night's 9-3 rout to win four contests in a row for the first time since a seven-game run from July 3-9.

Mark Teixeira homered for a second game in a row, notching his 30th of the season, while Nick Swisher added a two-run shot -- his third homer in five games. Curtis Granderson finished with a solo homer of his own to help the Yankees move a game ahead of the Rays for the top spot in the AL East after Tampa Bay lost to Toronto on Tuesday.

"What a great game tonight was -- great pitching, clutch hitting," Swisher said afterward. "(Teixeira) is on fire...it's just been a lot of fun to watch."

The power game helped Phil Hughes post his 16th win of the season despite lasting just five innings. He allowed two runs on four hits and matched a season high with five walks.

Still, New York picked up its fifth win in a row over Oakland and is 7-1 in the season series so far this year. The Yankees have also won 18 of the past 21 games of this series.

After Trevor Cahill was blasted for a season-high eight runs over four innings in Monday's opener, A's starter Van Mazzaro was charged with nine runs -- seven earned -- over just 3 2/3 frames last night.

"I battled. I fell behind a lot," Mazzaro said. "If you fall behind these guys, they're going to punish you. I just tried too hard and left the ball up in the zone."

Daric Barton hit a solo homer in the seventh inning for Oakland, which fell to 4-4 on a 10-game road trip and is still 8 1/2 games back of first-place Texas in the AL West.

The Athletics should have a good chance of moving back above .500 on the swing if Burnett pitches the way he has in his last five starts, all Yankee losses.

Burnett is 0-4 with a 7.80 earned run average over that span and was blasted by the White Sox in Chicago on Friday to the tune of nine runs -- eight earned -- over 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander has allowed at least six runs in three of his last five starts and nine times total this year.

"It's like Groundhog Day again," Burnett said after that game. "I take the team out of it in the first three innings. It wears on these guys and it has to be frustrating."

The 33-year-old is 9-12 with a 5.17 ERA this year, but evened his career mark against Oakland to 3-3 with a 3.81 ERA after besting them in Oakland with seven frames of two-run ball on July 7.

Despite leaving his last start after just two innings due to a hyperextended right knee, Brett Anderson is slated to take the hill for the A's. The lefty is 0-3 with a 3.68 ERA over his last four starts and was charged with four runs on six hits Friday versus Texas before his exit.

Anderson, though, threw a bullpen session on Monday with no issues.

"It went really well," manager Bob Geren told Oakland's website. "He should be good to go, no problems."

Anderson, who has also missed time this year with left elbow issues, is 3-5 with a 3.32 ERA in 12 starts this year. The 22-year-old is winless in three all-time meetings with the Yankees, having gone 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA.

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Chiefs' Treen Green out for Sunday's game

How long Trent Green will remain sidelined is unknown. Coach Herm Edwards said Monday he will miss a second straight start Sunday when the Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Green was going into a feet-first hook slide when he was knocked unconscious by a thunderous, head-snapping hit from Cincinnati's Robert Geathers.

Oddsmakers at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the 49ers.

The 49ers got beat by Philadelphia 38-24 as a 6.5-point underdog last week. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (42.5).

Alex Smith completed 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown. Michael Robinson rushed for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns on five carries.

The Chiefs lost 9-6 to Denver last week as an 11-point underdog. The combined score was well UNDER the posted over/under total (38).

Larry Johnson rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries. Damon Huard completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

To visit this online sports book got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.