Tanaka improves as Yankees snap skid

New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning at Yankee Stadium in New York on Thursday. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

Agencies/New York

The Japanese right-hander surrendered only one run, a solo home run by Oakland’s John Jaso in the first inning, on five hits while striking out four A’s batters in the triumph.

Alfonso Soriano hit a run-scoring single in the second inning and Brett Gardner smacked a solo homer in the third to provide all the scoring Tanaka and his relief help would need as the Yankees snapped a four-game losing streak.

Tanaka was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for May after going 5-1 in the month with a 1.88 earned run average in six starts. He struck out 42 batters while issuing only six walks over 43 innings.

“He’s the most experienced,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “What he’s done in Japan and what he’s been able to do here, he’s stepped up for us and kind of assumed that [ace] role.”

New York outfielder Carlos Beltran went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his return from the 15-day disabled list. He batted fifth as the team’s designated hitter.

John Jaso hit a solo homer for the A’s, who had a five-game winning streak snapped. Drew Pomeranz (5-3) gave up two runs — one earned — on six hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings.“He kept his pitch count down and threw strikes. With the lack of bullpen arms we had, we needed him to do that,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Pomeranz.

The A’s jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Jaso’s blast to right in the first.

The Yankees were inches away from taking the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Derek Jeter hit a one-out single before Jacoby Ellsbury almost cleared the wall in right. It was called a homer on the field, but replay showed the ball hit off the top of the wall. Ellsbury was awarded a double and Jeter moved to third. New York ended up with nothing after Mark Teixeira lined out and Beltran struck out swinging.

New York plated its first run in the second. Brian McCann singled to left, advanced to second on Brandon Moss’ fielding error and crossed the plate on Alfonso Soriano’s single to right-center field. Brian Roberts grounded into a double play to keep it a 1-1 game.

New York went ahead on Gardner’s homer in the third.

Oakland had a chance to tie the game or take the lead in the eighth. Adam Warren stranded men on second and third after striking out Yoenis Cespedes.

The A’s wasted another golden scoring opportunity in the ninth. Craig Gentry came on as a pinch-runner after Stephen Vogt hit a one-out single. Gentry stole second and advanced to third on Alberto Callaspo’s groundout. But David Robertson got pinch-hitter Derek Norris looking at strike three to record his 13th save of the season.