New York ? Kevin Brown thought he might be nearing the end of his career.

He spent the first two months of the season battling his body, perplexed by his performance. Then he spent seven weeks on the disabled list because of back spasms and an intestinal parasite that weakened him.

“You just can’t help but look over your shoulder and wonder,” he said.

Brown received his answer Thursday, when he pitched his best game of the season.

In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Brown threw four-hit ball over eight shutout innings to beat Oakland’s Barry Zito. Newly signed John Olerud went 3-for-3 with a two-run double on his 36th birthday, leading the New York Yankees over the Athletics, 5-1.

“That’s the Kevin Brown we knew was in there somewhere, and he knew was in there somewhere,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.

Brown (9-1) struck out seven and walked two as he matched the longest outing by a Yankees starter this season. Always his own biggest critic, Brown used the words pleased, happy and satisfied.

“I’m not 100 percent as far as strength and stamina,” he said, “but I’m a heck of a lot better.”

When he struggled, the 39-year-old right-hander at times wasn’t sure how much he had left.

“I want to leave the game, I don’t want the game to leave me,” he said. “That’s probably every player’s wish, to go out playing well and not have something happen that takes the game away from you.”

New York desperately needs him to pitch like an ace.

It was just the 10th time a Yankees pitcher threw eight innings, the first in 19 starts since Jose Contreras beat Detroit on July 15. New York starters entered with a 5.06 ERA, 24th among the 30 major league teams, and they averaged just 5.76 innings per start, 18th in the majors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Yankees pitcher kevin brown delivers against Oakland. Brown pitched eight scoreless innings in the Yankees' 5-1 victory Thursday in New York.

Even though the Yankees lead second-place Boston by 91/2 games in the AL East, Torre called it a big win.

“He was overpowering. His stuff was moving all over the place. Hs sinker was just unhittable,” catcher Jorge Posada said.

While the catcher usually sets the target, Brown became Posada’s bull’s-eye in the sixth inning. Chasing Jermaine Dye’s popup, Posada threw his mask into the pitcher’s stomach.

“I guess I was in the wrong spot,” Brown said.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez wound up catching the ball. Posada had no idea his pitcher was there.

“I saw it on the replay — he’s got to get out of the way,” the catcher said.

Paul Quantrill allowed an unearned run in a hitless ninth on errors by Rodriguez and second baseman Miguel Cairo. Oakland, which lost for just the third time in 12 games, dropped into second place in the AL West, a half-game behind Texas.

Olerud, who had a double, two singles and was hit by a pitch, is 5-for-8 since signing with the Yankees on Tuesday, 11 days after Seattle decided to go with youth and released him.

Mariners 4, Devil Rays 2, 11 innings

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Randy Winn and Bret Boone each hit an RBI single during a three-run 11th inning, and Seattle snapped a six-game losing streak. Miguel Olivo drew a leadoff walk from Tampa Bay closer Danys Baez (3-2) in the 11th and went to second on Justin Leone’s sacrifice bunt. Olivo advanced to third on a single by Jose Lopez and scored when third baseman Geoff Blum misplayed Ichiro Suzuki’s grounder for an error. Suzuki was credited with an RBI.

Angels 8, Twins 3

Minneapolis — Aaron Sele won his seventh straight decision with another fine performance against Minnesota, and Jose Guillen drove in three runs to lead Anaheim. Sele (7-0) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings, running his record against Minnesota to 16-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 22 career starts. He matched his longest outing of the year and became the first pitcher in Angels history to win his first seven decisions in a season.

Rangers 2, Tigers 1

Detroit — Alfonso Soriano hit a tiebreaking homer, Ryan Drese pitched six strong innings and Texas completed a three-game sweep of Detroit. Drese (8-6) allowed one run on six hits and three walks to win for the fourth time in five starts. The sweep was the Rangers’ third on the road this year, the first time they have had that many since 1999. Ron Mahay and Carlos Almanzar each pitched a scoreless inning before Francisco Cordero got three outs for his 33rd save in 35 tries, sending the Tigers to their fourth consecutive loss.

Indians 6, Blue Jays 3, 10 innings

Toronto — Grady Sizemore hit a two-run double in the 10th inning and Cleveland beat Toronto. John McDonald and Matt Lawton homered for the Indians, who have won two straight following a four-game losing streak. McDonald was a late replacement for second baseman Lou Merloni, scratched shortly before gametime because of a sore elbow.