New York @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( May 28, 2015 ) NY Yankees 4, Oakland 5

New York designated hitter Alex Rodriguez is reaching milestones on a daily basis and will try to move into sole possession of second place on baseball's career RBI list Friday when the Yankees visit the Oakland Athletics in the second contest of a four-game series. Rodriquez, who passed Lou Gehrig on Wednesday to become the American League's all-time RBI leader, drove in his 1,996th run during Thursday's 5-4 loss, tying Barry Bonds and trailing only Hank Aaron (2,297).

Oakland (18-32) owns the worst record in the AL, but has won four of its last six games and snapped first-place New York's three-game winning streak Thursday by defeating the Yankees for the 10th time in the last 11 meetings at O.co Coliseum. The Athletics also snapped a 12-game losing streak in one-run games at home, improving to 1-10 this season. Oakland's Sonny Gray suffered a bruised ankle in his last start but appears ready to go and opposes Chris Capuano, who lost both starts since replacing Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) in the rotation. Gray will be challenged by Brian McCann, who is 8-for-19 with three home runs, a double, 10 RBIs, five runs scored and six walks in his last six games while homering in three straight contests.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH Chris Capuano (0-2, 7.36 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (5-2, 1.77)

Capuano yielded three runs (two earned) and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 5-2 loss to Texas on Sunday after allowing four runs in three innings of a 6-0 setback at Kansas City on May 17 in his season debut. “My number one goal going into the game was to go deep into the game,” the 36-year-old West Springfield, Mass., native told reporters after the Rangers' contest. "And 4 1/3 innings, I've got to be better." Capuano is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in four games (one start) versus Oakland.

Gray threw a bullpen session Tuesday and said he was sore Wednesday after being struck by James Loney's grounder in the fourth inning of Oakland's 7-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Sunday. The 25-year-old Tennessee native remained in the game and recorded five scoreless frames to snap a three-start winless streak (0-2). Gray yielded three runs in six innings of a 7-0 loss to New York on June 13 in his only appearance against the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rodriguez is also 18 hits shy of 3,000 and 53 runs short of 2,000.

2. The Athletics' Brett Lawrie on Thursday hit his first home run in a month — a two-run shot — to make it 3-3 in the sixth inning.

3. New York RF Carlos Beltran on Thursday had his 15-game hitting streak snapped — one shy of his career best — after going 0-for-4.

PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Yankees 2