Baltimore ? The Baltimore Orioles would prefer to be vying for a playoff spot this month. They’ll have to settle for helping determine who advances to the postseason.

Brian Roberts and Larry Bigbie had two hits apiece in an eight-run third inning, and Baltimore ended the New York Yankees’ five-game winning streak with a 14-8 victory Friday night.

Miguel Tejada and Melvin Mora homered, and B.J. Surhoff had a season-high four RBIs for the Orioles, who have won eight of 11 — a streak that includes a 3-1 record against the Yankees. Baltimore has two games left against New York and eight against Boston, so it appears the Orioles will be playing several important games during the next few weeks.

“I don’t like the position we’re in — the so-called spoiler — but that’s where we are,” said Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli, New York’s first base coach from 2000 to 2003. “I wish we didn’t have any bearing on it that way, but the reality of it is that we might.”

Baltimore trailed 3-2 before sending 13 batters to the plate in the third against Javier Vazquez (13-9) and two relievers. Bigbie had two singles and scored twice, and Roberts had a bunt single and a two-run double.

The double was Roberts’ 46th, tying the AL season record for a switch hitter.

Even with a 10-3 lead, Mazzilli wasn’t certain that Baltimore had enough runs to win.

“When you put the nail in the coffin against that team, you’ve got to hammer it shut,” he said. “They can come back. Believe me, I’ve seen it. I’ve been there. I know.”

Rodrigo Lopez (12-8) beat New York for the second time in eight days despite allowing five runs and eight hits in 52/3 innings.

Derek Jeter and Ruben Sierra homered for the Yankees, who began the night 31/2 games ahead of second-place Boston in the AL East.

New York received another poor outing from Vazquez, who yielded eight runs, five hits and two walks in 21/3 innings. He is 0-3 with a 9.99 earned-run average in his last five starts.

Vazquez came unglued in the third after three singles loaded the bases with one out. He forced in the tying run with a walk to Tejada, then hit Rafael Palmeiro with a pitch.

Angels 7, White Sox 5

Anaheim, Calif. — Garret Anderson hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, and Vladimir Guerrero had a three-run homer, leading Anaheim over Chicago. The Angels, who entered two games behind Oakland in the AL West, rallied to win for the 38th time this season. They remained five games back of Boston, 13-2 winners over Seattle, in the wild-card race

Red Sox 13, Mariners 2

Seattle — Curt Schilling became the first 19-game winner in the major leagues this year, and Manny Ramirez homered twice, including his second grand slam of the season, to lead Boston over Seattle. David Ortiz hit a go-ahead homer in a five-run sixth inning, and Johnny Damon had three RBIs for the Red Sox, who cut the New York Yankees’ AL East lead to 21/2 games.

Ramirez tied Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx for fifth on the career grand slam list at 17, passing Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. The only players ahead of Ramirez are Lou Gehrig (23), Eddie Murray (19), and Willie McCovey and Robin Ventura (18 each). Ramirez hit a solo homer in the fourth off Ryan Franklin (3-15) and the grand slam in the seventh.

Rangers 10, Blue Jays 3

Arlington, Texas — Ryan Drese pitched seven strong innings, Kevin Mench homered twice, and Texas beat Toronto. Drese (12-8) allowed one run and six hits, struck out seven and walked one. He lost a bid for his first shutout when he allowed Carlos Delgado’s solo homer in the seventh, but picked up his eighth win in 11 decisions. Mench has homered in his last three games and has four in 10 at-bats. He extended his career-high home run total to 23.

Mench and Mark Teixeira homered in a six-run fourth inning for the Rangers, who had lost nine of their previous 11. Michael Young had four hits, and Rod Barajas and Mench each added three hits for Texas.

Twins 4, Tigers 1

Detroit — Carlos Silva won for the first time in more than a month, and Jacque Jones drove in two runs to lead Minnesota over Detroit. Silva (11-8) allowed one run and nine hits in six innings, struck out six and walked none for his first victory in seven starts since Aug. 3 against Anaheim. J.C. Romero pitched the seventh to extend his scoreless streak to 352/3 innings, Juan Rincon threw the eighth and Joe Nathan finished for his 40th save.