NEW YORK – Sidney Ponson shut down the team that pounded him by pitching a four-hitter and Javy Lopez homered again, leading the Baltimore Orioles past the New York Yankees 9-1 Thursday night.

Melvin Mora drove in four runs, Lopez had three RBIs and Miguel Tejada hit a pair of RBI singles for Baltimore. The Orioles won for just the second time in 10 games against the AL East leaders this season.

Even before the 51,677 fans began booing them in the late innings, it was an unsettling day for the Yankees. Star Alex Rodriguez was suspended for four games for his fight in Boston last week, and ailing slugger Jason Giambi stayed away from Yankee Stadium while waiting for test results on the intestinal parasite that’s plagued him.

Ponson (6-12), meanwhile, had quite a night and put together a run in which he retired 18 straight batters.

After going 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in three outings against the Yankees this season, Ponson got off to another rocky start when Bernie Williams hit a leadoff double in the first and scored on Gary Sheffield’s single.

But Ponson found his rhythm in a hurry after Jorge Posada opened the second with a single for the Yankees’ third hit. Hideki Matsui grounded into a double play in the second and New York did not get another runner until Matsui singled with one out in the eighth.

Ponson, about 10 pounds lighter than when the Yankees last beat him on June 24, was in complete command in his third complete game of the year.

Devil Rays 2, Royals 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Rob Bell and three relievers combined on a four-hitter, and Tino Martinez had three hits and an RBI to lead the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

Bell (4-4) struck out three and walked two in 6 1-3 scoreless innings in the Devil Rays’ third straight win following a six-game losing streak. Jesus Colome and Trever Miller pitched a scoreless 1 2-3 innings, and Danys Baez threw a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 22 opportunities.

The Devil Rays outscored the Royals 18-3 in sweeping the three-game series.

Tigers 3, White Sox 2

DETROIT – Jason Johnson allowed three hits over six innings Thursday night and the Detroit Tigers beat Chicago 3-2, the White Sox’s fifth straight loss.

Johnson (8-8) allowed both runs to get his fourth win in five decisions.

Four relievers gave up two hits over the last three innings for Detroit with Ugueth Urbina pitching a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances.

Chicago got a man to third with two out in the eighth on Willie Harris’ double and a groundout. But Esteban Yan got Carlos Lee to fly to center to end the threat.

Scott Schoeneweis (6-8) allowed five hits and three runs, two earned, in 5 1-3 innings for the White Sox. He walked four and struck out five.

He allowed a single to Dmitri Young to start the sixth and then struck out Carlos Guillen. Rondell White then hit what looked like a routine double-play ball to shortstop Jose Valentin. But Valentin’s toss to Harris at second was off target and everybody was safe.

Schoeneweis was then replaced by Jon Adkins.

Both runners moved up on a passed ball by Sandy Alomar, and Marcus Thames walked. Bobby Higginson then hit a slow grounder to first and all Paul Konerko could do with was step on the bag as Young scored to make it 3-2.

Detroit went ahead 2-0 in the second on back-to-back RBI doubles by White and Thames.

Chicago cut the lead in half in the third on Lee’s RBI single.

The White Sox tied the game at 2 in the sixth on Carl Everett’s sacrifice fly.

Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez left the game in the third inning with upper back spasms. He was replaced by Mike DiFelice.

Notes: Lee has 14 RBIs in his last 11 games. … Tigers OF Alex Sanchez returned from the 15-day disabled list. He had a strained hamstring. … Tigers LHP Al Levine was scheduled to have his left forearm X-rayed after being hit by Aaron Rowand’s grounder in the eighth.

AP-ES-07-29-04 2158EDT