Yankees @ Athletics

Who will WIN this matchup?

New York Yankees (83-44)

@ Oakland Athletics (72-53)

Starting Pitchers:

Tanaka (NYY): 9-6; 4.56ERA

Roark (OAK) 7-8; 4.01 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

New York Yankees: 6-4

Oakland Athletics: 6-4

Current odds:

New York Yankees: (-117)

Oakland Athletics: (+107)

• The Oakland Athletics already have clinched their second straight series win over a division leader on their homestand and now look to complete a three-game sweep when they host the New York Yankees on Thursday. The Athletics took three of four from American League West rival Houston before capturing the first two contests of their set versus AL East-leading New York, which has lost 20 of its last 27 games in Oakland. Khris Davis, Marcus Semien and Stephen Piscotty homered in Wednesday’s 6-4 triumph as the Athletics, who have won seven of nine contests, remained even with Tampa Bay for the second wild-card spot. Semien’s blast was his third in five games and 22nd of the season, putting him five away from matching the career high he set in 2016.

• Mike Ford went 3-for-4 with a homer while Mike Tauchman recorded two hits and a pair of RBIs for the Yankees, who have lost three straight for the first time since July 25-27 at Boston. Ford has gone 5-for-8 over his last three contests while Tauchman is 6-for-13 during his four-game hitting streak.

• Tanaka has bounced back from a rough outing in Baltimore on Aug. 5 in a big way, allowing two runs – on solo homers – over 14 1/3 innings in victories at Toronto and against Cleveland. The 30-year-old native of Japan permitted a total of only seven hits in those turns and displayed excellent control as he did not issue a walk. Tanaka has made five career starts versus Oakland, going 3-2 with a 2.53 ERA.

• Roark has pitched well in his three starts since being acquired from Cincinnati, allowing fewer than three earned runs in each outing while working at least six innings twice, but has recorded just one victory. The 32-year-old from Illinois settled for a no-decision versus Houston on Friday after giving up two runs and six hits in six frames. Roark made his lone career start against the Yankees on June 12, 2018, when he permitted three runs over six innings in a loss at New York while with Washington.

• Athletics OF Mark Canha delivered a run-scoring single on Wednesday, giving him six RBIs during his six-game hitting streak.

• New York 3B Gio Urshela has been held without a hit in only three of his last 27 contests, recording 15 multi-hit performances in that span.

• Davis’ blast on Wednesday was just his second since June 18 and left him two shy of his sixth consecutive 20-homer season.