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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 6:26 p.m., Sunday, July 1, 2007

Kurt Suzuki helps A's beat slumping Yankees

By Jay Cohen
Associate Press

NEW YORK — Jack Cust and Dan Johnson homered in Oakland's seven-run second inning against Andy Pettitte, and former Baldwin High star Kurt Suzuki had two hits as the Athletics beat the slumping New York Yankees 11-5 today.

Dan Haren (10-2) pitched 5 1-3 innings to win his career-best 10th straight decision and improve to 4-0 in seven career starts against the Yankees. He allowed a season-high five runs in his shortest outing since he lasted only five innings in a no-decision against New York on April 13.

Oakland was ranked 13th of 14 teams in the AL in runs scored entering play, but roughed up Pettitte (4-6) on its way to taking two of three at Yankee Stadium. The A's finished 3-7 on their longest road trip of the season.

Andy Phillips tied a career high with three hits and Melky Cabrera had two hits for New York, which has lost nine of its last 11 games.

Oakland's first four batters of the second inning singled, with Suzuki's base hit driving in Bobby Crosby to make it 2-0. Pettitte got Shannon Stewart to fly out to right but Mark Ellis followed with a sacrifice fly.

It just got worse for Pettitte from there. Cust hit a three-run drive to right-center for his 14th homer of the season. Eric Chavez reached on a double and Johnson drove a 1-2 pitch out to right for a two-run shot, making it 8-0.

Johnson's ninth homer was it for Pettitte, who stood with his hands on his hips and looked at the ground as manager Joe Torre approached the mound. He gave up nine hits and eight runs, seven earned, in his shortest outing since he recorded five outs for the Yankees against the Chicago Cubs on June 8, 2003.

Ron Villone replaced Pettitte and got Crosby to ground out to end the inning, prompting a sarcastic cheer from the sellout crowd of 54,266.

It was the most runs allowed by Pettitte since he surrendered 10 runs, seven earned, in 4 2-3 innings for Houston against Florida on April 4, 2006.

Suzuki, playing designated hitter, batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a run-batted in.