Williams added his second homer of the season in the eighth, a drive off former Yankee Randy Keisler, who was called up before the game and made his Oakland debut.

With Matsui sidelined for three months or more and right fielder Gary Sheffield out probably until the end of the month with a wrist injury, Torre said the Yankees will primarily use Bubba Crosby and Melky Cabrera as their corner outfielders. Against the left-handed Zito, Cabrera started in left and Williams in right, and Crosby replaced Cabrera in the eighth inning.

“It’s hard to replace Matsui or Sheffield. It’s almost impossible, those guys mean so much to this team,” Rodriguez said, “but we do have enough in the tank on this team. There’s an abundance of talent in this clubhouse for us to go out and pitch well, and field well and hit well.”

Oakland, which has lost three straight and six of nine, dropped under .500 at 17-18. The A’s were without third baseman Eric Chavez (bacterial infection) and catcher Jason Kendall (serving a suspension) for the fourth straight game, and designated hitter Frank Thomas was out, a day after straining his right quadriceps.

Zito has been victimized by poor run support all season: While he’s been in, the A’s have not scored more than three runs in any of his eight starts, and while he has allowed one run in 20 1-3 innings over his last three starts, he has gone just 1-1 in that span.

He allowed five hits in six innings, struck out four and walked four, losing his seventh straight decision against the Yankees and dropping to 2-9 against them in 15 regular-season starts. Oakland has been shut out in its last three games at Yankee Stadium.

“Unfortunately, just one swing, one pitch, was the difference,” Zito said.

Notes: Yankees RHP Carl Pavano allowed one run and one hit in six innings for Double-A Trenton against Bowie in an Eastern League game, striking out six and walking none. ... There were seven double plays overall. ... It was the Yankees’ most DPs since they turned six against Tampa Bay on June 17, 2003.

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