UPDATE: A's manager Bob Melvin told reporters after the game that Josh Reddick suffered a fractured left thumb in the loss.
OAKLAND -- Ivan Nova pitched six innings for his second win since moving into the starting rotation, Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer and the New York Yankees held on to beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Thursday night.
Aaron Hicks added an RBI double while Brett Gardner had two hits and two walks to help the Yankees win the opener of the four-game series.
Oakland swept New York when the teams played in the Bronx but got little going against Nova and three relievers.
Nova (3-1) allowed one run and four hits in his longest outing this season since replacing the injured CC Sabathia in the Yankees' rotation. The right-hander threw just 62 pitches, had three strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 1.65 in three starts.
Josh Reddick homered for Oakland before leaving after appearing to injure his left hand stealing second base in the seventh.
Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman pitched the final three innings to complete the six-hitter for New York. Chapman worked the ninth for his fifth save.
The Yankees missed multiple opportunities to break the game open but took a 2-1 lead on RBI doubles by Beltran in the third and Hicks in the sixth.
Both runs came off Oakland starter Kendall Graveman (1-6).
Beltran hit his ninth home run of the season and the 401st of his career in the ninth.
Reddick homered off Nova in the fourth but the A's managed just three runners after that and hit into two double plays.
Gravemen, who beat the Yankees on April 20 for his only win this season, suffered his fifth consecutive loss. The right-hander gave up eight hits in 5 2-3 innings with three walks and four strikeouts.
CONFUSED CARLOS
Beltran drove in the game's first run in the third but apparently forgot how many outs there were. With two outs, Brian McCann reached on an error when right fielder Reddick appeared to lose the ball in the lights but Beltran - who initially broke for third - retreated toward second when the ball was in the air. He went to third after Reddick's error but was stranded when Starlin Castro lined out to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: DH Alex Rodriguez could miss the entire series in Oakland due to his sore hamstring. Rodriguez did some light running around the bases before the game but manager Joe Girardi said it's questionable if he'll be activated by the weekend. "He went a little bit faster today on the arcs but it's still not where he needs to be yet," Girardi said. . RHP Luis Severino (right triceps strain) is scheduled to throw Friday for the first time since going on the DL.
Athletics: RHP Henderson Alvarez continues to await word on his troublesome right shoulder. He had an MRI earlier in the week but the results were inconclusive and sent to Dr. James Andrews for further evaluation.
UP NEXT
Yankees: Sabathia (2-2) is scheduled to come off the DL to start Friday at the Coliseum. Sabathia is seeking his 100th career win.
Athletics: RHP Sonny Gray (3-3) pitches the second game of the series and is winless over his last four games. Gray has allowed three runs or more in each of his previous five starts.
