New York @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( May 19, 2016 ) NY Yankees 4, Oakland 1

The New York Yankees seek their first three-game winning streak of the season when they continue their four-game series against the host Oakland Athletics on Friday. After beginning its seven-game road trip with a pair of losses at Arizona in which it was outscored 17-5, New York captured the finale against the Diamondbacks before posting a 4-1 victory in the opener versus Oakland on Thursday.

Carlos Beltran delivered an RBI double and a two-run homer for his second three-RBI performance in five games. Oakland, which lost nine of its first 10 games this month, had won four in a row and five of six prior to Thursday's setback. Josh Reddick accounted for the Athletics' lone run with a solo homer in the fourth but fractured his left thumb on a head-first slide while stealing second base in the seventh and expects to miss four-to-six weeks. The loss of the outfielder will hurt Oakland, as Reddick has not gone more than one contest without a hit since a two-game stretch from April 17-19 — notching 10 multi-hit performances in that span — and halted a 22-game home run drought with Thursday's blast.

TV: 9:35 p.m. ET, YES (New York), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2-2, 3.81 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (3-4, 5.84)

Sabathia is expected to be activated from the disabled list as he has not pitched since May 4 because of a groin strain. The 35-year-old Californian was superb in that outing, scattering six hits over seven scoreless innings en route to his first victory since his season debut April 9 at Detroit. Sabathia has had his troubles with the Athletics over his career, going 9-11 in 29 overall starts and 4-7 with a 5.44 ERA in 15 outings at Oakland.

Gray has struggled mightily over his last three starts, going 0-2 while surrendering a total of 20 runs (17 earned) and 25 hits in 16 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old Nashville native has not won since April 22, when he gave up three runs over seven frames at Toronto. Gray is 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA in three career outings against New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez (hamstring) ran the bases Thursday but is not expected to be activated from the disabled list until Saturday at the earliest.

2. Oakland scored six or more runs in four of its last five victories but has totaled one run in its last two defeats.

3. New York RHP Luis Severino (triceps) is expected to play catch this weekend and is likely to need at least one rehab start before being activated from the DL.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Yankees 2