NEW YORK – Alfonso Soriano hit his team-record 10th leadoff homer and drove in three runs and Andy Pettitte picked on a familiar opponent as the New York Yankees beat the sloppy Baltimore Orioles 5-2 Monday night.

Soriano had four hits, including a key two-run single in the eighth inning. New York has won nine of 11, maintaining its five-game edge over Boston in the AL East.

Larry Bigbie homered, singled twice and drove in both of Baltimore’s runs. But the Orioles made three errors that led to three unearned runs and had a pair of passed balls.

The Yankees and the crowd of 50,595 got a scare in the seventh inning when Jason Giambi was hit by a pitch for the second time of the night. Giambi was struck in the right hand and waved it in pain, but stayed in the game as the knuckle on his index finger turned a scary shade of purple.

Pettitte improved his career record over the Orioles to 18-4.

Athletics 8, Blue Jays 6

TORONTO – Miguel Tejada homered and had three hits as the Oakland Athletics tied Seattle for the AL West lead by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 Monday night.

Terrence Long went 4-for-5 for the A’s, who also are tied with Boston in the AL wild-card race.

Ted Lilly (7-9) won for the first time in five starts since July 25, allowing three runs – two earned – and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings.

He struck out seven and walked three.

Oakland led 7-3 in the eighth when Josh Phelps hit a three-run homer off Ricardo Rincon. The A’s Erubiel Durazo hit a solo homer off Trever Miller in the ninth, and Keith Foulke got five outs for his 34th save in 39 chances. Toronto had two on with one out in the ninth, but Carlos Delgado flied out and Tom Wilson hit a game-ending comebacker.

Toronto starter Cory Lidle, activated from the disabled list before the game, gave up seven runs and nine hits in four-plus innings against his former team. Lidle (11-11) hadn’t pitched since Aug. 7 because of a strained left groin.

Tejada’s RBI grounder put Oakland ahead in the first, and the A’s made it 3-0 in the second on Frank Menechino’s run-scoring grounder and Jose Guillen’s RBI single.

Oakland center fielder Chris Singleton’s throwing error allowed Delgado to score in the bottom half, and Chris Woodward’s RBI single cut the lead to 3-2.

Long hit an RBI double in the third, but Vernon Wells had a run-scoring double in the bottom half.

Oakland batted around in the fifth and took a four-run lead. Tejada hit his 21st homer, Long had an RBI double and reliever Jason Kershner hit Jose Guillen with a pitch with the bases loaded.

Notes: The A’s returned home after the game for a six-game homestand against Baltimore and Tampa Bay. … The Blue Jays lost three of four to Oakland.

AP-ES-08-25-03 2216EDT