Boston ? Rodrigo Lopez is even surprising himself with how well things are going.

Lopez pitched eight strong innings for his 11th win, the most by a Baltimore rookie since 1989, leading the Orioles to a 9-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

After bouncing from Single-A to Triple-A in San Diego’s organization last season, Lopez went 10-2 with the Culiacan Tomato Growers in the Mexican Winter League before the Orioles signed him to a minor league contract during the offseason.

“During spring training, I wasn’t thinking I’d be with the team,” Lopez said. “I (had) a little hope that I’d be back in the big leagues, and it’s gone pretty quickly.”

After joining the Orioles’ rotation in April, Lopez won his first four starts. In his only other major league experience, he was 0-3 in six starts with San Diego in 2000.

Lopez (11-3), who won his fifth straight decision, only had trouble during Boston’s two-run fourth. He allowed two runs and four hits, walking one and striking out eight.

“I’m so smart we had him in the bullpen to start the season,” manager Mike Hargrove said. “There’s no way you could see it happening.”

Melvin Mora and Howie Clark had consecutive RBI doubles in Baltimore’s five-run third inning.

Clark also had an RBI single and Tony Batista added a solo homer for Baltimore, which halted a three-game losing streak.

Boston, which fell a season-high five games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees, dropped its third in four games.

The 27-year-old’s 11 wins are the most by an Orioles’ rookie since Bob Milacki won 14 in 1989.

“Lopez was hitting (the corners) all night,” Boston’s Johnny Damon said. “When they don’t have guys like (Jeff) Conine and (David) Segui, you have to take care of business. We are looking sloppy at times.”

Jorge Julio recorded the final three outs.

Angels 8, Mariners 0

Seattle Anaheim moved into first place in the AL West after getting eight scoreless innings from rookie John Lackey. Tim Salmon homered and Scott Spiezio had three RBIs for Anaheim (61-40), which beat Seattle (62-41) for the fifth straight time to move two percentage points ahead of the Mariners. It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the Angels, who were 1012 games behind Seattle on April 23. The Mariners had been in sole possession of first since April 11. Anaheim has won three straight and eight of 10 to move 21 games over .500 for the first time since Aug. 26, 1995. That was the season when the Mariners overcame a 13-game deficit and beat the Angels in a one-game playoff for the division title. Anaheim hasn’t won the division since 1986.

Yankees 12, Devil Rays 9

St. Petersburg, Fla. Raul Mondesi homered and drove in four runs and Robin Ventura hit a two-run homer as New York beat Tampa Bay. Mondesi had a two-run double during a four-run fourth, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth and hit a solo homer in the ninth. Ventura hit his 20th homer in the eighth.

Tigers 8, Indians 5

Cleveland Bobby Higginson, Randall Simon and Robert Fick each had four hits and two RBIs to lead Detroit over Cleveland. Jim Thome hit two homers for Cleveland in his return after missing six games with a stiff back. He hit his 29th in the sixth to bring the Indians within 7-4, and blasted a 470-foot shot to right in the eighth to make it 8-5.

Twins 10, Blue Jays 5

Minneapolis Jacque Jones hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking two-run shot in the sixth inning as Minnesota beat Toronto. Jones and Doug Mientkiewicz each drove in three runs for the Twins, who had 16 hits.

Rangers 12, Athletics 4

Arlington, Texas Carl Everett became the first Texas player to homer twice in an inning, connecting twice in a nine-run seventh, as the Rangers rallied to defeat Oakland. Ruben Rivera hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh.