Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez both homered as New York downed Oakland, 7-1, in the opener of a three-game set at Yankee Stadium.

Cano was 2-for-4 with a three-run shot for the Yankees. who had dropped three of four entering the All-Star break. Rodriguez finished 3-for-4 with a solo shot and two RBI.

Richie Sexson was 1-for-3 and drove in a run during his New York debut. The slugger, who was released by the Seattle Mariners last week, was officially signed by the Yankees earlier in the day and paid immediate dividends with a run-scoring single in the first inning.

"(Sexson)'s really been hitting the last month and that's the important thing," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We scored 7 runs and everyone contributed. We had great starting pitching and great bullpen relief. All the things you need to win the game, we got them tonight."

Mike Mussina (12-6) allowed just one run on nine hits in six innings on the hill to earn the win. David Robertson, Edwar Ramirez and LaTroy Hawkins finished things with an inning of perfect relief apiece.

"I had a good fastball away to righties and in to lefties," Mussina said. "I didn't throw one changeup the whole game, which is rare for a six inning game for me. I can't remember the last time I did that."

Yankees pitching ended the game with 14 consecutive outs.

Ryan Sweeney was 1-for-4 with the only RBI for the Athletics, who have dropped three straight. Kurt Suzuki finished 2-for-4.

Greg Smith was touched for six runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings en route to the loss. He walked five while striking out only one.

"The ones I put in a zone they put a good swing on it," Smith said. "That's just part of the game sometimes, and they're a good hitting club."

The Yankees broke open a tie game in the third inning. Rodriguez got on with a one-out single and Jorge Posada followed with a walk. After Sexson went down swinging, Cano blasted a homer over the wall in right-center, his seventh of the year.

New York added two more runs in the fourth. Derek Jeter started things with a two-out walk and Bobby Abreu followed with an RBI double just out of the reach of Emil Brown in left. Rodriguez then plated Abreu with a single to left that made it 6-1.

Rodriguez belted a one-out solo homer to right, his 20th of the year and the 538th of his illustrious career, to give the Yankees a 7-1 advantage in the sixth.

The A's took the early lead with a run in the first. Mark Ellis led off the game by grounding a double inside the first base line, moved up to third on Suzuki's single up the middle and crossed the plate on Sweeney's soft grounder to first.

The Yankees bounced right back to even things in the home half. Abreu slapped a one-out single to center and moved into scoring position when Rodriguez drew a walk. After Posada flied out to center, Sexson came through with an RBI single in his first at-bat as a Yankee. New York then threatened to take the lead after Cano lined a sharp single to right, but Sweeney made a strong throw to get Rodriguez at the plate and end the inning.