Andy Pettitte earned his 200th win, Mariano Rivera escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, and the Yankees edged the Baltimore Orioles 2–1 last night to complete a three-game sweep that pulled them within 11 /2 games of first-place Boston.

Hideki Matsui hit a solo homer and Doug Mientkiewicz scored on a wild pitch for New York, which has won 12 of 14.

The Yankees (88–64), a season-high 24 games over .500, closed within 11 /2 games of the AL East-leading Red Sox (90–63) and opened a 51 /2-game lead over Detroit (83–70) in the wild-card race. It’s the closest New York has been to first place since the Yankees trailed by one game before play on April 20.

“Four months ago, nobody gave us credit. And now we’re close to winning the division,” Rivera said. Melvin Mora had an RBI single in the sixth for Baltimore, cutting New York’s lead to 2–1. Mora advanced on a groundout, but Pettitte retired Nick Markakis on an inning-ending flyout.

Pettitte (14–8) got the first two outs of the eighth before giving way to rookie Joba Chamberlain, who had never entered in the middle of an inning. Pettitte trotted off the field to a thunderous ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd and doffed his cap as he reached the dugout. Chamberlain struck out Mora, pumping his fist as he walked off the mound.

Mariano Rivera worked the ninth, allowing a bloop, one-out double to Markakis. He retired Kevin Millar on a flyout, loaded the bases with walks to Aubrey Huff and Ramon Hernandez, then threw a called third strike past pinch-hitter Scott Moore.

Rivera got his 30th save in 33 chances, reaching 30 saves for the fifth straight season and the 10th time in 11.

Pettitte allowed at least one runner in each of the first seven innings but his defense responded with three double plays, including one that ended the fifth and led to Jay Payton’s second ejection of the series.

Kevin Millar led off the inning with a single. He was erased when Huff grounded into a fielder’s choice but Hernandez singled to give Baltimore runners on first and second.

Payton then worked the count full before he looked at a called third strike. He wheeled around and started arguing with plate umpire Mike Reilly as catcher Jorge Posada threw out Hernandez at second to end the inning. Reilly then ejected Payton, who threw his bat and helmet down as he stomped off toward the dugout.

Pettitte allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked two to improve to 10–2 with a 3.23 ERA in 14 starts since the All-Star break. He is the 27th left-hander to reach 200 wins.

Matsui hit a two-out drive to right in the second to give the Yankees a 1–0 lead. It was his 25th home run of the season and second in three days after entering the series in a 5-for-43 (.116) skid. Mientkiewicz led off the fifth with a base hit and advanced to second on Derek Jeter’s one-out single. He took third on Bobby Abreu’s fielder’s choice, and Brian Burres (6–6) threw a wild pitch with Alex Rodriguez at the plate.