Oakland @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2014 ) Oakland 7, NY Yankees 4

The Oakland Athletics try for a three-game sweep when they meet New York on Thursday at Yankee Stadium, but they'll have to figure out a way to solve rookie phenom Masahiro Tanaka. Oakland (37-22), which has the best record in the American League, is riding a five-game winning streak and has also won five in a row against New York, and 12 of the last 15 meetings. Carlos Beltran is expected to rejoin the Yankees' lineup after missing 21 games because of a bone spur in his right elbow and will serve as the designated hitter until the team is sure he won't aggravate the injury as New York tries to snap a four-game slide during which it has scored 10 runs.

Tanaka, the AL Pitcher of the Month in April, has won eight of his nine decisions while leading the AL with an ERA of 2.06. “He’s a top-of-the-rotation starter,'' New York catcher Brian McCann told the New York Daily News. "He takes the ball every fifth day and continues to impress everybody around here.” Oakland's Drew Pomeranz has won four of his last five outings and hasn't pitched 5 2/3 or more innings in 24 straight starts - the longest streak since at least 1914.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN California (Oakland), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Drew Pomeranz (5-2, 2.37 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (8-1, 2.06)

Pomeranz yielded five runs in a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday after allowing five runs in his previous nine appearances (four starts) this season. The 25-year-old Tennessee native was 3-1 with an 0.95 ERA in his previous four starts covering only 19 innings while issuing seven walks in his last two turns (9 1/3 frames). Pomeranz has never pitched against the Yankees but has faced Alfonso Soriano (1-for-3, solo homer) and Carlos Beltran (2-for-8, double, two strikeouts).

Tanaka is slightly better at home (3-0, 1.98 ERA, .194 opponents batting average) and during the day (4-0, 1.21, .179), but remains modest during his eye-opening start. "No, I don’t feel that I’m the ace,” the 25-year-old Japan native told the New York Daily News after striking out nine while yielding an unearned run in eight innings of New York's 3-1 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. Tanaka is expected to face the Athletics again June 15 when the teams play a three-game series in Oakland.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Yankees have been outscored 21-0 from the seventh inning on during their losing streak.

2. The Athletics, who have homered in 12 straight games, are a major league-best 20-10 on the road.

3. New York is 10-3 when leading after one inning and 19-26 when it doesn't.

PREDICTION: Yankees 3, Athletics 2