The New York Yankees have been burning up the wins column since the All-Star break, but may have hit a wall yesterday, dropping a 6-4 decision to the Oakland Athletics in a game that pleased all kinds of fans, including those who love a good pitchers duel and those who enjoy a good slugfest. 

In a game of first versus worst, the Bombers tried to extend their 8-game winning streak against the lowly A’s. With veteran Andy Pettitte (8-6) on the hill against rookie Gio Gonzalez (2-2), it looked like it might be another easy victory, but Gonzalez held his own against the powerhouse Yanks as he didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning.  In the sixth, after a walk to Derek Jeter with one out, Gonzalez threw an 0-1 fastball to Brett Gardner, who tripled to drive in the first run of the game. Gonzalez quickly recovered, inducing ground balls from Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez to end the inning.

In the top of the seventh, the A’s exploded for six runs with four coming off of Pettitte, who to that point had allowed just two singles. The Athletics sent 10 men to the plate in the inning, highlighted by a pair of two-run hits by Landon Powell and Orlando Cabrera.  The Yankees attempted a comeback in their half of the eighth, scoring three times, highlighted by Teixeira’s league-leading 25th home run, but it was too little, too late for New York as they suffered their first loss since July 12.

The Yankees are now 2-3 against the Athletics in 2009, and will be sending RHP Sergio Mitre (1-0) up against LHP Dallas Braden (7-8) as they try to start a new winning streak on Sunday. With the loss, New York lost a game in the AL East to the rival Boston Red Sox, who defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-2. At 59-38, the Yankees still hold the best record in the American League, but now sit just 1.5 games ahead of the Sox.