Yankees win their fourth straight

Oakland, Calif. — Road-weary David Phelps finally pitched well away from home. The New York Yankees scored in bunches without the benefit of a home run. And they beat the AL’s best team in a place they had not won in more than two years.

Indeed, things are turning around fast out west.

Phelps tossed two-hit ball into the seventh inning and two relievers were perfect the rest of the way, leading the Yankees past the ALbest Oakland Athletics 7-0 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.

“It’s definitely one of the best starts of my career,” said Phelps, who struck out four and walked three in 6 2-3 innings.

Phelps (2-4) didn’t allow a hit until Derek Norris’ soft single over the head of third baseman Kelly Johnson with one out in the fifth. Jew Lowrie’s double in the seventh was Oakland’s only other hit. Yankees Athletics

Dellin Betances recorded four straight outs, and Jose Ramirez pitched a perfect ninth for New York.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner each drove in a run as the Yankees built a 3-0 lead against Sonny Gray (6-3) in the first two innings. New York scored four more in the eighth off Jeff Francis.

Six different Yankees drove in a run, and New York had 12 hits in all.

“That’s the recipe for scoring a lot of runs,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Coming off a three-game sweep at Seattle, the Yankees kept rolling on the road against the AL West. New York is 5-2 on its nine-game trip and is assured of heading home with a winning mark.

The Yankees pounded an A’s team that began Friday leading the majors in run differential by more than double any other team. Oakland had outscored opponents by 130 runs; the next closest club was San Francisco at 59.