Unlikely star Gonzalez pitches Oakland to 6-4 victory that snaps Yankees’ 8-game win streak

A’s snap Yankees’ winning streak with 6-4 victory

NEW YORK — Gio Gonzalez worked out of trouble when Andy Pettitte could not, and a key decision by Yankees manager Joe Girardi went awry in the Oakland Athletics’ 6-4 victory Saturday that snapped New York’s eight-game winning streak.

Landon Powell and Orlando Cabrera each drove in a pair of runs for the A’s, who also ended an eight-game losing streak to the Yankees that dated to last season.

Derek Jeter tried to rally New York with a two-run homer in the eighth, and Mark Teixeira followed with a long shot to right. But A’s manager Bob Geren called on All-Star closer Andrew Bailey, who got four tough outs with some help from his defense to earn his 11th save.

Gonzalez (2-2) rebounded from a rough start to pitch two-hit ball into the seventh inning. He wiggled out of a jam when he stranded Brett Gardner on third base by retiring the final two batters of the sixth, keeping Oakland within 1-0.

It proved to be an important escape act when the A’s scored all their runs the next inning.

Scott Hairston doubled leading off and Nomar Garciaparra drew a walk before Pettitte (8-6) got Jack Cust to fly out. Girardi came out from the Yankees’ dugout to chat with his veteran left-hander, but elected to leave him in with three right-handed hitters coming up and righty reliever Alfredo Aceves warmed up in the bullpen.

It wound up being the wrong decision.

Rajai Davis tied the game moments later with a base hit, and after Bobby Crosby loaded the bases with another single, Girardi trudged back to the mound and finally summoned Aceves.

He got Mark Ellis to ground out before giving up three straight hits. By the time Cabrera laced a two-run double, Oakland led 6-1 and a Yankee Stadium crowd of 46,412 that had been enjoying a nice pitchers’ duel on a pleasant afternoon turned sour, showering Aceves with boos as he walked to the dugout.

Gonzalez was an unlikely star for the A’s, after giving up a career-high four homers and 11 runs in 2 2-3 innings his last time out. The 23-year-old right-hander showed a lot of movement on his curveball, striking out six in a career-high 6 2-3 innings.

He certainly outpitched the 37-year-old Pettitte, who retired his first 10 batters and didn’t allow a runner past first until the A’s big seventh inning.

The Athletics, in the midst of 28 straight games to begin the second half, had lost 17 of 26. They traded slugger Matt Holliday to the St. Louis Cardinals for three minor league prospects on Friday.

NOTES: Jeter played his 2,076th game, matching Bernie Williams for fifth on the Yankees’ career list. … Yankees RHP Chien-Ming Wang (shoulder) could see orthopedist Dr. James Andrews early next week, Girardi said. … Bailey had been charged with a loss in each of his past two outings.