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Oakland Athletics' Josh Donaldson, left, scores ahead of the tag by Yankees catcher Russell Martin, right, in the sixth inning of a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda delivers in the first inning against the Oakland Athletics in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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New York Yankees' Nick Swisher watches his fourth-inning, two-run home run off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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Oakland Athletics' Cliff Pennington follows through on his second-inning, two-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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Oakland Athletics' Josh Donaldson congratulates Cliff Pennington at the plate after Pennington's second-inning, two-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 20 Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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Teammates greet Oakland Athletics Cliff Pennington in the dugout after he hit a second-inning two-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, right, signals to hold the throw as Oakland Athletics' Josh Donaldson, left, slides into third on a sixth-inning error by Yankees pitcher Clay Rapada in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sund Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda comes out of a baseball game in the sixth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
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Oakland Athletics' Stephen Drew (5) congratulates Josh Donaldson (20) after Donaldson scored on Cliff Pennington's sixth-inning, RBI single in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Kathy Willens, Associated Press
By Associated Press

NEW YORK — Cliff Pennington hit a go-ahead single in the sixth inning after a key error by backup shortstop Eduardo Nunez and the Oakland Athletics bounced back to avoid a sweep, edging New York 5-4 Sunday and stopping the Yankees' seven-game winning streak.

A day after their stunning 14-inning loss, the A's held on to at least maintain their 2½-game lead for the second AL wild-card spot over the Angels, who played later.

The Yankees kept their one-game lead in the AL East because Baltimore lost in Boston. Despite the defeat, the Yankees have to like their chances to win the division — their final 10 games are against three teams with records below .500.

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