WHY THE BROOMS ARE OUT IN YANKEELAND

After losing the first two games of the West Coast road trip in Seattle, things were a little down in the Yankee Universe. But, the Yanks have now won four straight and like Casey says, winning streaks are good. Thanks to some clutch hitting and strong starting pitching we are rolling. Both of those things happened today against the Oakland A's, as the Yankees completed their first three game sweep of the season.

The Yanks got off to another quick start on offense. A-Rod doubled home Derek Jeter with two outs to bring home the first run of the game in the first inning. Jeter, who got a hit in the first, is now 16 hits away from 3000. The rest of the offense came in the fourth inning off the bat of Nick Swisher. It was a Swishalicious three run shot deep into the left field seats.
(photo: Getty)
That proved to be enough offense for AJ Burnett. He had a rocky first by allowing a two run shot to Josh Willingham, but he coasted through the final six innings in his start to pick up his fifth victory. Joba came on in the eighth and pitched a clean frame. And the ageless wonder, Mariano Rivera, picked up his 14th save of the season.
(Photo: Getty)
After roughing up Trevor Cahill on Monday, and Brett Anderson on Tuesday, the Yankees handled yet another ace for Oakland in Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez gave up the big homer to Swish in the fourth, and allowed four earned in 6.1 innings. That is the fifth ace during this road trip that the Yankees have handled well.

Final Score: Yankees 4 - Athletics 2. It's good to finally get the first three game sweep of the season and it's hard to believe it's just the first sweep coming from a team who now has a two game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East, but we'll certainly take it. After an off day on Thursday, the Yanks will go to Anaheim to take on the Angels. LA has been a house of horrors the last few years as the Yanks have gone 7-21 there since 2004.

Ivan Nova (4-3, 4.67 ERA) will pitch for the Bombers who are going to face yet another ace on this trip in Jered Weaver (6-4, 2.10 ERA).



--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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