Baltimore ? A.J. Pierzynski is hitting home runs like never before, just one of many reasons why the Chicago White Sox own the best record in the major leagues.

Pierzynski and Jermaine Dye hit successive homers in a four-run eighth inning, and Chicago rallied to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 9-6, Saturday.

Joe Crede also connected for the White Sox, who made up deficits of 4-2 and 6-4 in handing the Orioles their 12th loss in 14 games. The defeat dropped Baltimore (51-52) under .500 for the first time since April 9.

Tadahito Iguchi led off the eighth with a walk off Chris Ray (0-3), and Paul Konerko singled with one out before Pierzynski hit his career-high 15th home run, a shot to right that made it 7-6.

Pierzynski, whose previous career high was 11, began the year with 37 homers in 1,899 career at-bats. Asked to explain his sudden power surge, he said, “No idea. I wish I knew. I’m just getting balls up in the right spot. I’m hitting a lot of balls with more backspin. I used to hit a lot with more tailspin.”

Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski watches his game-winning, three-run home run off Baltimore's Chris Ray in the eighth inning. Chicago beat the Orioles, 9-6, Saturday at Oriole Park in Baltimore.

In that situation, he’d happily have settled for a single.

“I was just trying to hit a fly ball and not hit into a double play,” he said.

Four pitches later, Dye hit his 21st, the seventh time this season the White Sox have homered in consecutive at-bats.

Iguchi capped his second straight three-hit game with an RBI single in the ninth.

“We’re a scrappy team,” Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. “The home runs, that’s a plus. The one thing with the home runs is when you have people on base, we can make a lot of things happen.”

Neal Cotts (3-0) worked a perfect seventh, and Dustin Hermanson got three outs for his 24th save.

Rafael Palmeiro gave Baltimore a 6-4 lead in the sixth, hitting his 18th home run with a man on. It was his 1,191st extra-base hit, moving him out of a tie with Lou Gehrig into sole possession of sixth place on the career list.

On July 15, Palmeiro become the fourth player in major-league history to have 3,000 hits and 500 homers. He now has 3,017 hits and 569 home runs.

Brian Roberts drove in two runs for Baltimore. Left fielder Eric Byrnes, who flew overnight from Colorado after being traded from the Rockies for outfielder Larry Bigbie, went 1-for-5 with an RBI in his Orioles debut.

But it all went for naught, and a team that in was first place and 14 games over .500 now has a losing record. Manager Lee Mazzilli insists Baltimore still is a playoff contender.

“Absolutely, no question,” he said. “What are we going to do, fold the tent up? You can’t do that. I’m not going to let that happen. You’ve got 60 games left, and you’ve got to make the most of it.”

Javy Lopez, who went 1-for-4, said, “One game can change it around. That’s the game we’re waiting for.”

Yankees 8, Angels 7

New York – Hideki Matsui’s two-run double in the ninth capped a big comeback, and New York took advantage of four walks by an exhausted Francisco Rodriguez to beat Los Angeles.

Bernie Williams and Jason Giambi homered for the Yankees, who got a stellar debut from starter Shawn Chacon and defeated the Angels for only the third time in nine meetings this season.

Los Angeles’ normally dependable bullpen blew a 7-3 lead in the last two innings. Giambi’s two-run shot off Jake Woods in the eighth cut it to 7-5, and Angels manager Mike Scioscia brought in Rodriguez with one out.

Pitching for the third straight day, Rodriguez got out of that inning with no trouble, but began to tire in the bottom of the ninth.

Athletics 9, Tigers 5

Oakland, Calif. – Jay Payton hit a grand slam and drove in five runs to help Barry Zito win his seventh straight start, and Oakland won for the 10th time in 11 games.

Payton’s homer was the big blow against Nate Robertson (5-9) in a six-run fourth inning that also featured the ejection of Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

Red Sox 6, Twins 2

Boston – With Manny Ramirez taken out of Boston’s lineup amid trade rumors, David Wells allowed two runs in seven-plus innings in a victory over Minnesota.

Ramirez was removed from Boston’s lineup just five minutes before the game, though the Red Sox said they had no trade to announce.

John Olerud drove in three runs, and Gabe Kapler had two hits and scored twice as Ramirez’s replacement.

Wells (9-5) took a shutout into the eighth and gave up seven hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

Mariners 3, Indians 2

Seattle – Ichiro Suzuki hit a pair of solo home runs – breaking a 75-year-old major-league record in the process.

Suzuki led off the fourth inning with a home run, his eighth this season and the first hit allowed by C.C. Sabathia (6-9).

That gave him 1,058 hits in his career, the most ever for a player in his first five seasons, breaking the mark set by Paul Waner from 1926-30.

Rangers 3, Blue Jays 2

Toronto – Joaquin Benoit and four relievers combined on a six-hitter, and Adrian Gonzalez homered to the lead Texas to its fourth straight victory.

Phil Nevin didn’t play for Texas. Acquired a day earlier from San Diego in a trade for Chan Ho Park, Nevin arrived at the Rogers Center just before game time.

Manager Buck Showalter said Nevin would DH today.