OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Mariano Rivera needed just seven pitches to record his 36th save Wednesday and preserve a 3-2 win for the New York Yankees over Oakland.
Chad Gaudin made his first start with the Yankees after being acquired from San Diego Aug. 6, but he did not figure in the decision.
New York had a 3-2 lead going into the fifth, but Gaudin loaded the bases with one out in that inning and was removed in favor of Alfredo Aceves.
Aceves (8-1) got Kurt Suzuki to ground into a double play to end the inning and eventually worked 2 1/3 innings to get the win.
Oakland scored single runs in the sixth and seventh and had two runners on with no one out in the eighth before the Yankees escaped the jam. Rivera then came on and mowed down the Athletics in the ninth.
All of New York's runs were driven in by Mark Teixeira -- on a ground out in the first and a two-run homer in the fourth.
Brett Anderson (7-9) took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings.
