This was not exactly the way the Yankees wanted to head into their first-place showdown with the Boston Red Sox.

Faced with five games in four days at Fenway Park, the Yankees played one of their sloppiest games of the season yesterday, a 12–2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles that featured Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter botching a popup.

“We stunk today,”manager Joe Torre said. “Hopefully, we got the stinker out of our system.”

New York’s AL East lead over second-place Boston was cut to 1 1/2 games after the Yankees lost two of three to the Orioles. The Yankees have dropped seven of last 12.

Yankee pitchers walked five Baltimore batters, and all of them scored. Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, and Fernando Tatis homered for the Orioles — the trio has combined for just 14 this season.

The play that epitomized the blowout came in the five-run sixth inning, when a pair of All-Stars turned a simple pop fly into an embarrassing error.

The third baseman and shortstop were settling under the popup when they came together. The ball glanced off Rodriguez’s glove and fell behind Jeter. Both players looked so disgusted that neither seemed anxious to retrieve the ball.

“I thought he had it,” Jeter said. “I didn’t touch the ball. When it was hit, I was calling it. I guess he didn’t hear me. I thought he had it.”

At first the error was charged to Rodriguez, which would have given him a league-leading 22 for the season. After official scorer Howie Karpin looked at replays, he changed the error to Jeter for impeding the catch. Miguel Tejada scored on the play and Tatis followed with a two-run homer, completing the scoring.

“It was a stupid play all around,” Rodriguez said. “He called. I called. We didn’t hear each other.”

Torre was as disgusted as anybody.

“It was out there for everybody to see,” he said. “Somebody’s got to make the play.”

Plenty had gone wrong before that. Jaret Wright (9–7) lasted just three-plus innings and walked four. “I couldn’t throw strikes,” he said. “I got myself in trouble. It was definitely frustrating. You never want to throw like that.” Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo said Wright dug his own hole.

“I think he just got wild,” he said.”We took a couple of close ones but he was just out of the zone quite a bit. I don’t think it was our hitters being selective.”

While Wright and four Yankee relievers struggled, Rodrigo Lopez (9–12), who entered leading the AL in runs (106) and hits (188) allowed, handcuffed New York on six hits through seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one.

“I was just thinking to finish my pitches,” Lopez said. “Early in the game, the pitches were up. That was the only adjustment I made, trying to keep the ball down.”

Both Lopez and Wright allowed leadoff home runs. Roberts opened the game by connecting against Wright, who had gone 10 starts and 223 batters without allowing a home run. Johnny Damon responded for the Yankees against Lopez in the bottom of the first with his 18th home run. It was Damon’s fifth leadoff homer this season and the 21st of his career.

Robinson Cano’s upper-deck homer in the second put the Yankees ahead 2–1, but Wright walked the bases loaded with one out in the third and threw a wild pitch that scored the tying run. After Miguel Tejada struck out, Jay Gibbons hit a two-run single for a 4–2 lead.

Corey Patterson walked leading off the fourth, and Ron Villone relieved and walked Brandon Fahey. With two outs, Markakis hit a three-run homer — he’s homered in consecutive games since being moved up from ninth to second in the batting order.

Markakis said Wright’s control troubles spelled trouble for the Yankee starter.

“He just kind of got real wild,” Markakis said. “You don’t throw strikes, bad things happen.”

Lopez retired Bobby Abreu with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth.