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--> --> Oakland's Tim Hudson fires strikes at New York batters. AP Hudson baffles Yankees NEW YORK (AP) - With youth and energy, brashness and determination, the Oakland Athletics have pushed the New York Yankees to the brink, just one loss away from the end of an era. Tim Hudson, just like Mark Mulder the night before, extinguished New York's offense. Ron Gant backed him with an early home run, and Jason Isringhausen survived a ninth-inning rally as the Athletics held off New York 2-0 Thursday night and headed home with a 2-0 lead in the first-round AL playoff series. After becoming only the fourth team to win the World Series three straight times, the Yankees must win three consecutive games to get a chance to extend their run. "We didn't expect to come in here to Yankee Stadium and win two games against that club," Hudson said. "We battled, we stayed poised and we found a way to squeeze a couple of runs across." Oakland, beaten 3-2 by the Yankees in last year's division series, has won eight straight over New York going back to the regular season - and the Yankees haven't led after their last 76 innings against the A's. New York's veterans look a little bit past their prime, unable to muscle their way out of trouble anymore. "I don't know about old. But they're certainly making us eat some dust right now," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. New York's task is daunting: The A's have won their last 17 home games, and Barry Zito (17-8), another of the left-handers who have given the Yankees difficulty this year, starts Saturday against Mike Mussina (17-11). Hudson held the Yankees to one hit in the first five innings, then escaped jams in the sixth and seventh. Pitching inside to keep hitters from extending their arms over the plate, he retired 12 in a row after Derek Jeter's first-inning single and allowed six hits in all. Isringhausen walked a fine line. Bernie Williams doubled off the glove of third baseman Eric Chavez leading off the ninth, and Tino Martinez walked, creating more drama. But with fans imploring New York to rally as it has so many times before, Isringhausen threw a called third strike past Jorge Posada and retired David Justice and Scott Brosius on popups for his second save of the series. New York earned its titles by winning October games like this, but the A's seemed unafraid of the Yankees' success, mystique and rabid fans. "In this kind of atmosphere, it's a little nerve-racking," Isringhausen said. "It's total adrenalin." After two-out singles by Chuck Knoblauch and Jeter put two on in the sixth, Hudson worked the count full on Paul O'Neill, the emotional backbone of the Yankees through their championship years. "The crowd was really into it, going crazy," Hudson said. "It's usually when the Yankee magic comes out." Mariners 5, Indians 1 At Seattle, the Mariners bounced back, just as they promised. The Mariners didn't panic after losing the opener of their AL playoff series against the Cleveland Indians. Instead, the Mariners did the same thing they've been doing all year. They won again. Jamie Moyer took a shutout into the seventh inning, and Seattle hit a pair of two-run homers before making an out in the first as the Mariners evened their AL playoff series at one game apiece with a 5-1 win Thursday over the Indians. Pressure? What pressure? "It was as close to a must-win game as you want it to be," Mariners manager Lou Piniella admitted. "We came out and pitched well and played good defense, and the bullpen came in and held the lead. It's been our formula all year." Of the 117 wins the Mariners have during their record-setting season, none meant nearly as much as this one. "There was a lot of pressure for us to get a victory," third baseman David Bell said. "Going to Cleveland down 2-0 wouldn't have been good." The 38-year-old Moyer made sure it wouldn't happen. Making just the second postseason appearance of his career, the 20-game winner allowed five hits and one run by fooling the Indians with a fastball that rarely breaks 80 mph on the radar gun. "That's all I have to offer," Moyer said. "I can't reach back and throw 95. I'm pretty comfortable with what I have, and over the years I've found a way to utilize that and use it to my benefit." The Indians should know. Moyer beat them twice during the regular season and has now given up just one earned run in his last 20 innings against Cleveland. Mike Cameron and Edgar Martinez hit two-run homers in the first off losing pitcher Chuck Finley, and Bell added a solo shot for the Mariners, who after losing Game 1 said everything would be fine as long as they came out and played their game. "I think we proved how resilient we've been," Cameron said. "They had all the emotions going in their direction." For the second straight game, the Mariners managed just six hits. But this time, three homers gave them five runs. "We've taken control of a lot of games like that this year," Moyer said. "Guys felt like they needed to do a little bit more, and we were able to do that." Following an off day on Friday, the best-of-five series resumes Saturday at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. Indians rookie C.C. Sabathia, who didn't face the Mariners this season, will start against Aaron Sele. Sele had two no-decisions against the Indians and started the Aug. 5 game in which the Mariners built a 12-0 lead before Cleveland staged baseball's biggest comeback in 76 years to win 15-14 in 11 innings. Moyer wasn't going to let there be any kind of miracle comeback in Game 2. Staked to a 4-0 lead in the first, Moyer had the Indians swinging over, through and above his assortment of sinkers, curves and seemingly juicy fastballs. "Moyer did what Moyer has done to us," Kenny Lofton said. "He threw slower, slower and slower." In the fourth, the Indians had runners at first and second with one out. But Moyer retired Ellis Burks on a fly ball, and with a runner at third, he struck out Jim Thome. "He was great out there," Burks said. "He was accurate with all his pitches, even his breaking pitch. Hopefully, we won't see him again." Moyer, who could start a Game 5 if necessary, gave up consecutive singles to start the seventh and was replaced by Jeff Nelson. Before leaving the field, Moyer tipped his cap to acknowledge a standing ovation before giving high-fives to his teammates. In 1997, he was forced to leave his other postseason start with a strained elbow, and last year he missed the playoffs after breaking a kneecap in a simulated-game tuneup before Game 1 of the ALCS. "He's had some adversity that he's overcome," Piniella said. "He's gotten better and better with experience. This type of pitcher is not going to be the overpowering type. So he uses guile." Finley waited 15 years to make his first postseason start, and after just 14 pitches he was behind 4-0 following the homers by Cameron and Martinez. "The first inning wasn't what I envisioned it to be like," Finley said. "Hopefully, I'll get a chance to redeem myself." Notes: Earring-gate Part II: Omar Vizquel and Arthur Rhodes had their first meeting since Aug. 25 when the Indians shortstop complained Rhodes' diamond-studded earrings were bothering him at the plate. Rhodes was ejected from that game, and the benches emptied over the jewelry. On Thursday, Vizquel, now 1-for-23 vs. Rhodes, popped up against the lefty. "I just wanted to keep my composure," Rhodes said. "He didn't say nothing and I didn't, either." ... The Mariners were 87-9 when scoring first in the regular season. ... Cleveland reliever Danys Baez hit 101 mph on the radar gun on a pitch to Boone in the eighth. Email your... 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