Oakland @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2010 ) Oakland 3, NY Yankees 4

With their most inconsistent starter breaking out of his funk Wednesday night, the Yankees will turn to their ace as they look for a three-game sweep of the visiting Oakland Athletics.

CC Sabathia looks for his 19th win of the season as the Yankees host the Athletics in the series finale Thursday afternoon. New York has won five straight games to take a one-game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East, while the A's have fallen 9 1/2 games back of Texas in the AL West and are all but out of the playoff picture.

A.J. Burnett led the Yankees to victory Wednesday night, going six strong innings in the 4-3 victory. He entered the game winless in his last five starts.

Sabathia (18-5) leads the AL in victories and is 10-0 at Yankee Stadium this season. The 30-year-old has won his last five starts, and has struck out eight or more batters in each of his last three outings.

Off the field, the Yankees also bolstered their lineup with the addition of Lance Berkman from the disabled list. Berkman made a couple of rehab starts at Double-A Trenton after spraining his right ankle.

New York also called up three players from the minors to take advantage of expanded September rosters.

Right-handed reliever Jonathan Albaladejo and outfielder Greg Golson were recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and catcher Chad Moeller's contract was purchased from the Triple-A club. Moeller saw action late in Wednesday's game.

Manager Joe Girardi says he plans to use Berkman mostly as a designated hitter and Golson will be a pinch-runner or defensive replacement.

Girardi also said that after two solid relief performances Javier Vazquez will rejoin the starting rotation on Saturday against Toronto. Vazquez was banished to the bullpen after a streak of five straight starts without a win.

The news on injured left-hander Andy Pettitte is also good. Pettitte said he felt good after throwing a side session before Wednesday's game. Pettitte hopes to return in mid-September and expects to make a rehab start.

Pettitte has been sidelined since July 18. He is 11-2 on the season with a 2.88 ERA.

Dallas Braden, who threw a perfect game earlier in the season and also had a run-in with New York's Alex Rodriguez starts for Oakland. Braden (9-9) beat the Yankees 4-2 in April. He's won five of his last seven decisions.