Oakland @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2011 ) NY Yankees 4, Oakland 2

THE STORY: Two games behind Boston in the AL East, the Yankees welcome Oakland to the Bronx for a three-game series starting Friday. New York is coming off a 4-4 road trip that culminated in Thursday’s 2-1 loss in Tampa. The Athletics have played better since the All-Star break, going 4-2 while averaging five runs per game. Oakland’s bats woke up after a pathetic seven-game stretch prior to the break in which the A’s mustered 16 runs total. The Yankees dominated a three-game sweep May 30-June 1 in Oakland, outscoring the A's 19-5.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MY9, CSNCA

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (8-8, 3.16 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Phil Hughes (1-2, 8.44 ERA).

Opponents are hitting just .238 against Cahill, but he’s been hurt by 56 walks in 134 innings. Cahill has been awful in three career starts against New York, going 0-3 with a 9.72 ERA. Hughes has made two solid starts since coming off the DL after a bout with arm fatigue, allowing four earned runs and 10 hits over 11 innings. Current A’s are hitting .231 against him.

ABOUT THE YANKEES (57-39): With the team rumored to be interested in Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia turned in outstanding starts this week, possibly lessening the chances of such a move. All-Star center fielder Curtis Granderson got most of Thursday night off after bruising his left foot and getting drilled in the back with a 95-mph fastball Wednesday. Granderson is hitting .270 and leads New York with 26 homers and 70 RBIs. He has seven RBIs in his last eight games and is expected to start Friday.

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS (43-55): Rookie second baseman Jemile Weeks, who leads the team with a .308 average, hopes to be back in the lineup Friday after sitting out Wednesday’s win over Detroit. He fouled a ball off his right instep Tuesday. Weeks had started 36 straight games since being called up. Third baseman Scott Sizemore, hit by a pitch in the jaw and neck Tuesday, also could return Friday. He entered Wednesday’s game as a defensive sub in the ninth inning. Hideki Matsui is relieved to have finally gotten his 500th career homer out of the way Wednesday against Detroit. He has 168 major-league homers after hitting 332 for the Yomiuri Giants. The homer was seventh this season, but first since June 16.

FINAL PITCH: Oakland is carrying eight relievers including closer Andrew Bailey, who has 10 saves in 12 chances since returning from a strained right forearm in late May.