By Jimmy Golen
The Associated Press
Boston – Not their best season. And certainly not the biggest title for a franchise that has 26 World Series championships in its illustrious past.
Yet somewhere in the spray of champagne in the visitors’ clubhouse at Fenway Park on Saturday was the satisfaction that these Yankees came farther to win this AL East championship than any New York team since Bucky Dent popped one into the net here in 1978.
“I can’t take my glasses off. I’m crying like a baby,” manager Joe Torre said on the field after New York beat Boston 8-4 to clinch the division for the eighth consecutive year.
“This was the best of all of them,” he added in the clubhouse. “The first is always memorable. But this has to be the most special because of everything that went on this year.”
Randy Johnson won his sixth straight decision and the Yankees scorched Tim Wakefield for three homers – from Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield – to win for the 16th time in 20 games. Mariano Rivera finished up, gloving Johnny Damon’s high chopper and throwing to first baseman Tino Martinez to set off a restrained on-field celebration.
Once inside the clubhouse, the Yankees sprayed champagne that dripped from the brims of the newest AL East Champion hats in their collection.
For stalwarts like Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams, it is No. 8; for Robinson Cano, Aaron Small, Chien-Ming Wang and Shawn Chacon, it is a first.
“I have been fortunate to be a part of this three times,” Johnson said of his time with the Mariners and Diamondbacks. “But you could see a lot of new kids in here that haven’t experienced this.”
Mike Mussina taped up plastic in the clubhouse to protect the Yankees’ lockers; it’s his only responsibility in Boston since he won’t be needed in the regular-season finale. Instead, he will pitch Game 1 of the playoffs Tuesday against Chicago, Cleveland or the Los Angeles Angels.
Through a quirk in baseball’s rules, the Yankees (95-66) won the division because of Cleveland’s loss to Chicago in the AL Central.
The loss by the Indians (93-68) eliminated the possibility of a three-way tie – and an unprecedented two-game, three-team tiebreaker – and gave New York the East by virtue of its 10-8 record against Boston (94-67).
New York trailed Boston by 5 1/2 games on the morning of Aug. 11 before going 35-12 the rest of the way.
The Red Sox finished second in the division for the eighth straight year, but it’s not all bad news for them.
Their magic number to clinch the AL wild-card berth is one, meaning the defending World Series champions can do no worse than a tie – news that got a medium-sized cheer when it was announced on the Fenway scoreboard.
If Boston loses today and Cleveland wins, they will meet at Fenway Park on Monday to decide the AL’s last playoff berth. If Cleveland loses today, the Red Sox get the wild-card berth no matter what they do.
“It’s the most unique situation you will see,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “What are the odds of us watching the Yankees celebrate, and we’re coming into the clubhouse as excited as you can be about playing the game tomorrow.”
Curt Schilling (7-8) is scheduled to go against Jaret Wright (5-4) today at Fenway. If the Red Sox have a one-game playoff against Cleveland, Matt Clement (13-6) would pitch on three days’ rest.
