BOSTON (AP) – B.J. Surhoff hit a grand slam, and the Baltimore Orioles capitalized on the third straight poor start by a Boston pitcher to beat the Red Sox 9-6 on Monday night.

The Red Sox failed to take advantage of the Yankees’ 6-3 loss to Toronto and remained 41/2 games behind AL East-leading New York. Boston lost in New York 11-1 and 14-4 on Saturday and Sunday.

Starters Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez struggled in those games. On Monday, Tim Wakefield (11-10) lost his control after three strong innings and fell to 0-3 in four starts.

The Red Sox stranded runners in scoring position in five of the last seven innings, fell to 4-8 against Baltimore and suffered their first three-game losing streak since dropping four straight from June 29 to July 2.

Jason Grimsley (5-6) got the win after starter Matt Riley was replaced with two outs in the fifth and runners at second and third. Todd Williams replaced Riley, but pitched poorly and Grimsley was given the win by the official scorer.

Jorge Julio pitched the ninth for his 22nd save in 25 chances.

Wakefield struck out six in 3 1-3 innings then fell behind 5-0 in the fourth. He loaded the bases by hitting Melvin Mora with a pitch and giving up a single to Miguel Tejada and a walk to Rafael Palmeiro.

Javy Lopez walked, forcing in the game’s first run, then Surhoff connected for the sixth grand slam of his career and sixth homer of the season.

Boston cut the deficit to 5-2 in the fourth on David Ortiz’s 39th homer after Manny Ramirez reached on an error by third baseman Mora.

The Orioles made it 8-2 in a wild fifth in which Wakefield walked two before leaving with one out.

Brian Roberts hit a leadoff single and took second on a one-out walk to Mora. They pulled off a double steal and Tejada was walked intentionally, loading the bases. A passed ball by Doug Mirabelli brought in Roberts and put runners at second and third.

Palmeiro then walked, and Mora – apparently thinking the bases were loaded – started trotting in from third. Mirabelli threw to third baseman Bill Mueller to start a rundown. After several throws, Mirabelli, now at third base, threw to first baseman Kevin Millar, covering home. Millar couldn’t handle the low throw and was charged with an error that allowed Mora to score.

Lopez then singled in Tejada, making it 8-2.

The Red Sox closed that to 8-4 in the fifth on Ramirez’s bases-loaded double that ended an 0-for-14 slump. But they couldn’t score again despite having runners at second and third with one out.

Boston scored twice in the sixth on Johnny Damon’s single and Mark Bellhorn’s groundout but stranded two runners again.

Mora hit a solo shot in the ninth, his 26th homer, to stretch Baltimore’s lead to 9-6.

Notes:The Orioles are 11-3 in their last 14 road games. … Boston SS Orlando Cabrera missed the game to be in Colombia where his wife was scheduled to undergo surgery. He was expected back Wednesday for the third game of the four-game series. … Wakefield matched season highs by allowing eight runs and five walks and striking out seven. … Riley missed a chance to end a nine-start losing streak.

AP-ES-09-20-04 2221EDT