BOSTON -- The Red Sox clinched their first American League East title in 12 years in most bizarre fashion. More than an hour after they had downed the Twins, 5-2, to reduce their magic number to one, the Yankees put it at zero by squandering a three-run lead in the ninth and losing to the Orioles in 10 innings on a bases-loaded, two-out bunt single by Melvin Mora. After taking first place in the American League East on April 18, the Red Sox never let it go, winning their first division title since 1995.
With the remainder of Yankees-Orioles game playing on the Jumbotron for the pleasure of the several thousand fans who stayed at Fenway, the place erupted when Mora's bunt officially ended the division race.
As the Red Sox poured champagne in the clubhouse, the message on the scoreboard in center field said it all: "CHAMPIONS OF THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST."
Before that, Daisuke Matsuzaka was back to being the guy who could set a tone and go deep into a game. Matsuzaka went eight innings and threw 119 pitches. He allowed six hits and two runs while striking out eight. With the win, he closed out his first Major League season with a record of 15-12 and an ERA of 4.40.
He had help offensively from the usual suspects. David Ortiz went 3-for-4 with a homer; Mike Lowell added two hits and two RBIs.
The Red Sox came out swinging against Twins starter Kevin Slowey. Ortiz lofted a two-out double off the Green Monster in the first. Lowell, who never seems to pass up an RBI opportunity, smashed a line single to right that scored Ortiz. J.D. Drew then lined a double to the opposite field that brought Lowell home to make it 2-0.
Matsuzaka came out sharp, giving the offense time to extend the lead. In the third, Ortiz ripped a one-out single to right, moving Manny Ramirez to third with one out. Lowell again managed to get a run home, this time on a fielder's-choice grounder that increased the lead to 3-0.
Slowey settled down for a couple of innings, but the Red Sox again generated some momentum in the sixth. Lowell cranked a double off the Monster. With one out, Kevin Youkilis blooped an RBI single to short right field and the Red Sox had a 4-0 lead.
After firing six scoreless innings, Matsuzaka ran into some trouble in the seventh. Justin Morneau led off with a homer to right. Garrett Jones worked a one-out walk and Matthew LeCroy lined a ground-rule double to right. Brian Buscher's fielder's-choice grounder drove home Jones to slice it to 4-2, but Matsuzaka got out of it with no further damage, as Nick Punto lined out to center.
With the remainder of Yankees-Orioles game playing on the Jumbotron for the pleasure of the several thousand fans who stayed at Fenway, the place erupted when Mora's bunt officially ended the division race.
As the Red Sox poured champagne in the clubhouse, the message on the scoreboard in center field said it all: "CHAMPIONS OF THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST."
Before that, Daisuke Matsuzaka was back to being the guy who could set a tone and go deep into a game. Matsuzaka went eight innings and threw 119 pitches. He allowed six hits and two runs while striking out eight. With the win, he closed out his first Major League season with a record of 15-12 and an ERA of 4.40.
He had help offensively from the usual suspects. David Ortiz went 3-for-4 with a homer; Mike Lowell added two hits and two RBIs.
The Red Sox came out swinging against Twins starter Kevin Slowey. Ortiz lofted a two-out double off the Green Monster in the first. Lowell, who never seems to pass up an RBI opportunity, smashed a line single to right that scored Ortiz. J.D. Drew then lined a double to the opposite field that brought Lowell home to make it 2-0.
Matsuzaka came out sharp, giving the offense time to extend the lead. In the third, Ortiz ripped a one-out single to right, moving Manny Ramirez to third with one out. Lowell again managed to get a run home, this time on a fielder's-choice grounder that increased the lead to 3-0.
Slowey settled down for a couple of innings, but the Red Sox again generated some momentum in the sixth. Lowell cranked a double off the Monster. With one out, Kevin Youkilis blooped an RBI single to short right field and the Red Sox had a 4-0 lead.
After firing six scoreless innings, Matsuzaka ran into some trouble in the seventh. Justin Morneau led off with a homer to right. Garrett Jones worked a one-out walk and Matthew LeCroy lined a ground-rule double to right. Brian Buscher's fielder's-choice grounder drove home Jones to slice it to 4-2, but Matsuzaka got out of it with no further damage, as Nick Punto lined out to center.
