Athletics Stifle Yanks Again

Terrence Long scored once and drove in a run, but his biggest contribution came with his glove.

Paul O'Neill led off the ninth inning with a drive to deep center that Long hauled in to help preserve the Oakland Athletics' 8-7 victory over New York on Wednesday night.

"All I know is from where I was sitting, I didn't think he had a chance," A's manager Art Howe said. "I did not have a good feeling when that ball was hit. You could hang a week's wash on that sucker."

"I had a good bead on it right off the bat," Long said.

Jason Isringhausen, who saved both of the A's wins in the three-game series, was grateful.

Matt Stairs hit a three-run homer in the first. The A's scored seven runs six earned in 3 1-3 innings off David Cone (1-5), winless in six starts since April 28.

"It was a poor effort, but I feel good and I'm going to be back," said the normally loquacious Cone, cutting off additional questions.

Gil Heredia (7-3) struggled after Oakland gave him a 4-0 lead, but three relievers held off the Yankees, who had the tying run in scoring position in two of the last three innings.

Heredia, who allowed three-run homers to Chuck Knoblauch and Ricky Ledee, gave up six runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Cone's ERA rose from 5.68 to 6.24.

"He was struggling tonight," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He didn't have good stuff. He didn't have good command."

Ricky Ledee was 2-for-3 with four RBIs for the Yankees.

Stairs, one of the players considered by the Yankees as a possible acquisition, put Oakland ahead with his eighth homer. Long's sacrifice fly in the second made it 4-0.

Knoblauch hit his three-run homer in the bottom half, but Oakland knocked out Cone in the fourth when Eric Chavez hit his seventh homer, Ben Grieve had a sacrifice fly and a another run scored on a throwing error by catcher Jorge Posada on a double steal.

Ledee chased Heredia with two outs in the sixth with his fourth homer of the season, but Jason Giambi made it 8-6 with an RBI single in the eighth off Mike Stanton.

Shane Spencer tripled off Jeff Tam in the eighth and scored on Ledee's double.

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