By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira crushed a three-run homer and Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson also went deep, leading the Yankees to a 9-3 pounding of the Athletics on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. By virtue of the Rays' loss to the Blue Jays, the Yankees enter September with sole possession of first place in the American League East. Teixeira cracked the game open with his fourth-inning shot off A's starter Vin Mazzaro, reaching the second deck of right-field seats for his 30th home run of the season and second in as many games. With the blast, Teixeira became just the sixth Yankees player all-time to hit at least 30 homers in each of his first two seasons after joining the club, a feat also accomplished by Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield. Supporting starter Phil Hughes, New York jumped on Mazzaro for three runs in a 35-pitch first inning. Robinson Cano brought home the first run on a double play, and after a Mark Ellis error, Jorge Posada slid safely into third base with his 10th career triple -- and his first since April 26, 2008, at Cleveland. New York extended its lead in the third inning, as Swisher connected for his 25th home run of the year, launching a two-run shot on a 3-0 pitch into the second deck in right field with Teixeira aboard. Granderson hit his 15th home run of the season in the fourth, a solo blast to right field and the outfielder's fifth deep drive since he began reconstructing his swing on Aug. 10 with hitting coach Kevin Long. A hit and a walk then set up Teixeira's two-out homer. In all, the Yankees got to Mazzaro -- a product of nearby Rutherford, N.J. -- for nine runs (seven earned) on seven hits in just 3 2/3 innings, with three walks, three strikeouts and a hit batsman. The support was appreciated by Hughes, who hung in long enough to qualify for his 16th victory. Hughes limited the A's to two runs on four hits over five innings, but the right-hander walked five and several of his innings were labored. It was good enough, as Hughes posted his third victory in four starts, turning duties over to long reliever Chad Gaudin in the sixth. Oakland touched Hughes in the the third, as Kurt Suzuki connected for a sacrifice fly, following a Cliff Pennington hit and two walks. Kevin Kouzmanoff led off the fourth with a single, then moved up on an Ellis hit and a wild pitch before scoring on a Rajai Davis RBI groundout. Daric Barton connected off Gaudin in the seventh for a solo home run, his eighth.
