NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia regretted hitting Chris Davis, Stephen Drew lamented making a costly error and Adam Warren conceded he made a mistake to Steve Pearce.

About the only thing to go right for the New York Yankees on Wednesday night were the results displayed on the right-center field scoreboard.

Sabathia ended his first outing in two weeks by hitting Davis, Drew made a two-base error in the sixth and Warren gave up the go-ahead home run to Pearce with one out in the eighth as the Baltimore Orioles kept the Yankees 1 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East by rallying for a 5-3 victory.

The Yankees (77-61) lost for the fourth time in their last 12 games but will not head into their four-game series with the Blue Jays 2 1/2 games out of first place.

While Sabathia was hitting Davis with a 1-2 pitch to load the bases, Drew was dropping a throw from third baseman Chase Headley and Warren was leaving a 2-2 breaking pitch up for Pearce, the Blue Jays were getting blown out in Boston. Eventually, the Blue Jays wound up heading to New York with a 10-4 loss and the Yankees missed a chance at being one-half game out for the fourth time since losing sole possession of the lead on Aug. 23.

Before any of those plays occurred, the Yankees led 3-1 after right fielder Carlos Beltran hit a solo home run in the first and had a two-run single off Ubaldo Jimenez (11-9) in the third. Those hits were the only offense for the Yankees, whose other hitters were a combined 2-for-27.

Sabathia felt good while pitching with a brace on his right knee, allowing three runs (one earned) and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He was one strike from completing the fifth but was lifted after plunking Davis.

"I had two strikes right there," Sabathia said. "If I just make a pitch, I got him out. It was just frustrating that I couldn't pitch in."

Two pitches later, second baseman Jonathan Schoop appeared to make the final out when he hit a ground ball to third. Headley fielded it cleanly and made the force attempt, but Drew dropped the throw and was charged with the error as two runs scored.

"It's tough," Drew said. "If I had to do it over again, I think I would catch it with one hand. Still, I got to make that. It's difficult to swallow."

Warren (6-6) kept the score tied as 13 of the final 14 hitters against Jimenez were retired. He then gave up a drive by Pearce, whose 10th home run cleared the left-center field fence and went into the Baltimore bullpen.

"I felt good," Warren said. "I hung one pitch."

Pearce's home run gave the Orioles their fifth win in 20 games. It also was the second straight night that Baltimore (67-72) won on a late home run and had the Orioles talking about trying to make a run after moving within 6 1/2 games of the second wild-card spot.

"We know we're a long shot," Pearce said. "But we're still not out of this."

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said, "We are going to try to win out."

It also came on a night when Jimenez ended a dubious streak, becoming the first Baltimore starter to go at least seven innings since Kevin Gausman on Aug. 23. Jimenez won consecutive starts for the first time since winning four straight in June, allowing three runs and four hits in seven innings.

"You want to go with everything you have the last month of the season," Jimenez said. "I know the season hasn't gone the way we wanted it to after the second half, but you have to finish strong."

Besides Pearce's home run, Davis drove in two runs, getting a bloop single with two outs in the first after Drew was unable to start a double play on center fielder Gerardo Parra. Davis added an insurance run with a ground-rule double in the ninth after Darren O'Day tossed a hitless eighth

Zach Britton pitched a perfect ninth, getting his 32nd save when designated hitter Alex Rodriguez struck out on three pitches.

NOTES: New York LF Brett Gardner (jammed left shoulder) missed his third straight game, but manager Joe Girardi said he was feeling better and could return to the lineup Thursday against Toronto. Gardner grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. ... Baltimore CF Adam Jones (sore right shoulder) was out of the lineup for the second straight game but might return Friday against Kansas City. ... Besides activating LHP CC Sabathia from the 15-day disabled list, New York also outrighted OF Tyler Austin to Double-A Trenton after designating him for assignment on Sept. 1. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he does not anticipate changes to his coaching staff next season.