Oakland @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2012 ) Oakland 5, NY Yankees 4

The New York Yankees have been one of the biggest early-season surprises, winning 16 of their last 22 games despite a patchwork lineup that was cobbled together following a string of injuries to the team's star players. New York will conclude a 10-game homestand when it hosts the Oakland Athletics for three games beginning on Friday night. Winners of six of seven, the Yankees will send ace left-hander CC Sabathia to the mound in the series opener.

The Athletics were mired in a 1-8 skid before winning three of their last four to build some momentum for the 10-game road trip that will include stops in Cleveland and Seattle. Oakland's bats came alive during that span by amassing 33 runs, but the pitching staff was equally generous in surrendering 27 runs. The Athletics suffered a key injury when leadoff man Coco Crisp, who is second in the American League in runs scored, went on the disabled list Wednesday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH A.J. Griffin (2-2, 4.65 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.35)

Griffin came out of the gate strong, winning his first two starts and allowing only five runs in his first three outings. He has taken a step back in losing his last two starts. Griffin was rocked by Boston for nine runs in four innings before giving up four runs in seven innings in a loss to Baltimore on Saturday. He has been hurt by the long ball, surrendering a pair in each of the last two outings. He is 1-0 with a 5.23 ERA over 10 1/3 innings in two starts vs. the Yankees.

Sabathia has not been as dominant as in years past, but he continues to eat up innings, pitching at least seven in each of his last five starts. He has also had trouble keeping the ball in the park of late, yielding six homers and 12 runs total in his last three outings. Sabathia is only 8-8 lifetime in 25 starts against the Athletics, but he allowed only five runs in 22 innings against them last season and tossed eight scoreless innings of three-hit ball while striking out 11 in late September.

WALK-OFFS

1. Sabathia held Athletics LF Yoenis Cespedes hitless in six at-bats last year.

2. Griffin lost at Yankee Stadium in September, but six of the nine players in the starting lineup for the Yankees that day are either injured or no longer with the team.

3. The teams split 10 meetings in 2012.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Athletics 2