Rapid Reaction: Yankees 6, Athletics 2

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees didn't treat Masahiro http://www.authenticyankeesshop.com/authentic-24-robinson-cano-jers... naka like a pitcher with any health issues. Tanaka didn't pitch like one, either.

Working into the eighth inning for the first time since the partial ligament tear in his elbow was discovered last year, Tanaka threw 114 pitches Thursday in a brilliant performance against the Oakland Athletics.

Tanaka allowed just two hits, both in the second inning, and retired the final 13 batters he faced in a 6-2 Yankees win. The Yankees beat the A’s for a second straight day and Tanaka won for the first time since June 9, ending the longest winless streak of his two-year major league career.

The Yankees were operating with a short bullpen Thursday after three straight starting pitchers failed to finish the sixth inning. They also knew that Tanaka was pitching with an extra day's rest and that he would have extra rest after this start because of next week's All-Star break.

Chasen a save (but falling short): With Dellin Betances Ichiro Suzuki Authentic Jersey having worked two straight days and Andrew Miller coming off a 30-pitch inning in his first game off the disabled list, manager Joe Girardi used 24-year-old Chasen Shreve in a two-run game in the eighth inning. Girardi let Shreve go for the four-out save, but pulled him in favor of Adam Warren when Shreve allowed a two-out single to Josh Reddick in what was then a four-run game in the ninth.

Home run, All-Star: In the first inning Thursday, Brett Gardner hit his 10th home run of the season. In the fourth inning, he found out that he'll be going to his first All-Star Game.

Gardner, an injury replacement for Kansas City's Alex Gordon, was a deserving choice. Besides the 10 home runs, he has a .381 on-base percentage. The Yankees lead all of baseball with 76 first-inning runs, and Gardner's 21 runs scored in the first inning are the most in the majors.

With the home run Thursday, Gardner is 11-for-18 with a walk in his past 19 first-inning plate appearances.

Tanaka time: Tanaka had allowed first-inning runs in two of his previous three starts, but Thursday he needed just seven pitches to get through a 1-2-3 first. And while he gave up two runs in a second inning that began with a catcher's interference call on Brian McCann, the first inning set the tone for Tanaka's best start since early June.

Cole starts, hits: The Yankees called up http://www.authenticyankeesshop.com/authentic-2-derek-jeter-jersey.... Cole Figueroa, put him in the lineup and watched him contribute with a double that was part of their two-run fourth inning. Figueroa's shot hit first-base umpire John Tumpane, and Tumpane ruled it a fair ball over strong objections from the A's. Oakland manager Bob Melvin convinced the four umpires to confer about the play, but they stuck with Tumpane's call, leaving the Yankees with runners at second and third with one out.

Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a two-run single -- also just over the first-base bag -- to break the 2-2 tie.

Figueroa also doubled and scored in the Yankees’ two-run eighth inning.

On deck: The Yankees head to Boston for the final series before the All-Star break, with Michael Pineda (8-5, 3.79) starting the Friday night opener against Clay Buchholz (7-6, 3.27).