NEW YORK – CC Sabathia earned his Major League-leading 19th win and Curtis Granderson belted two home runs to power the New York Yankees to a 5-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.

The victory stretched the Yanks' lead in the American League East to 1.5 games over the idle Tampa Bay Rays.

Sabathia (19-5) pitched eight innings, allowing one-hit with five strikeouts, and did not allow a runner past second base after the third inning.

Jonathan Albaladejo came on in relief and pitched a perfect ninth to nail down the one-hitter and secure New York's sixth successive victory.

Granderson had three RBIs as a replacement for Nick Swisher, who suffered stiffness in his left knee after the first inning. Jorge Posada cracked a solo homer in the second, and also scored on Austin Kearns's RBI single in the eighth.

Oakland left-hander Dallas Braden (9-10) allowed just one run on two hits but was forced from the game in the sixth inning due to cramping from the heat.