Teixeira homers twice to lead Yankees past A's

[July 09, 2015]  NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira had two big swings that helped but it was his first baseman's glove that proved equally as valuable for the New York Yankees Wednesday.

Teixeira hit solo home runs in consecutive at-bats and also made three standout defensive plays, helping the Yankees edge the Oakland Athletics, 5-4.

Teixeira recorded his 39th career game with at least two home runs and second this season but did not get a chance at a third home run when he was intentionally walked with two outs in the seventh.

Both home runs came off reliever Evan Scribner (2-2), who came on after Oakland starter Scott Kazmir exited with left triceps tightness in the third inning.

Teixeira hit his first home run to right field in the fourth and slugged his second over the right-center-field wall. He has 22 homers on the year and a league-leading 61 RBIs.

"Tremendous," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Teixeira. "I've been saying it all year long, he's a run producer and he's so important to us defensively. He had a great day."

It was after hitting the home runs that Teixeira's standout defensive night came into focus.

In the seventh, he leaned over the rail in foul territory to catch a foul pop up by center fielder Billy Burns for the second out. In the eighth, he dove to his right to field a hard ground ball by pinch hitter Josh Reddick before diving to the base to finish the play.

Teixeira's best play was saved for the final out and it came with the tying run on second base. Following a throwing error by Gregorio Petit on a ground ball by Oakland's Stephen Vogt, the third baseman made an off-balance throw on second baseman Ben Zobrist's grounder and Teixeira scooped out the throw to secure New York's 15th win in its last 21 home games.

"Offensively you're not going to be able to contribute every night," Teixeira said. "You're going to have lots of bad nights, go 0-for-4. My night last night was terrible. You just have to bring your glove every night. Tonight it was one of those things where the bat was good as well but I think the glove probably saved a few runs as well."

"It's huge," Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew said of Teixeira's defense. "It's fun to play with. It definitely makes the infielder's job easier. You got an off-balance throw or whatever, he's right there digging out balls. He's definitely fun to watch over there."

Teixeira's scoop also preserved Andrew Miller's 18th save and, in his first appearance since June 9 due to a strained left forearm, the left-hander showed a little rust. He gave up a two-run home run to Oakland shortstop Marcus Semien on a full-count fastball before finishing his 30-pitch outing.
Semien's home run would have tied the game but with two outs in the eighth, Drew hit his 12th home run for a 5-2 lead.

"I felt really good," Miller said. "I would have liked to have been a little more efficient, throw some fewer pitches so I could be crisper next time out. Sometimes it doesn't go that way. Good thing we had a three-run lead and I only gave up two."

Before Teixeira's first home run, shortstop Didi Gregorius hit an RBI double in the second to cut Oakland's early lead to 2-1. In between Teixeira home runs, New York second baseman Jose Pirela lifted a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Left-hander CC Sabathia (4-8) won for the first time in five starts while pitching on eight days' rest. In his first victory since June 7 against the Los Angeles Angels, Sabathia allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"I definitely felt fresh," said Sabathia, who had his knee drained in between starts. "The knee felt good. The week off helped."

Kazmir, who exited a start with left shoulder tightness May 27, allowed an unearned run and two hits in three innings.
"Probably later on in the second inning, just a little bit of tightness," Kazmir said. "(I) Came into the third and, slightly took off a little bit of my velocity. Still felt like more of pitches were playing at the time. You know, especially later on in the third, I was able to get a couple of strikeouts. You know, it's just frustrating."

During the third inning, Kazmir did not throw any pitches over 89 mph and that's when manager Bob Melvin decided to pull him.

"He actually pitched the third with it and that's why the velocity was down some," Melvin said.

Oakland took a 2-0 lead with one out in the second on RBI bloop singles from catcher Josh Phegley and left fielder Mark Canha.
NOTES: The Yankees activated CF Jacoby Ellsbury and LHP Andrew Miller off the disabled list and optioned OF Ramon Flores and RHP Nick Rumbelow to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... Oakland manager Bob Melvin said LHP Sean Doolittle (left shoulder) felt great after throwing from 60 feet on Tuesday in his first session since going on the disabled list May 28. ... New York 3B Chase Headley was held out of the starting lineup with right calf soreness. After the game, he said that an MRI showed some inflammation. ... Tuesday was Oakland's first win in extra innings. Its six-game losing streak beyond the ninth inning equaled the team's longest in the past 20 years, a mark matched in 2011 and 1999.

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