By the time 34,534 fans squeezed into Fenway Park to see the first pitch from Curt Schilling on Sunday, there was already good news on the Green Monster scoreboard: The Cleveland Indians were losing again.
That was a relief to the ever-anxious fans here, who knew that the Red Sox would win the American League wild card with a loss by the Indians. A victory over the Yankees would also suffice. On the last day of the regular season, the Red Sox got both.
They bludgeoned the Yankees 10-1, with homers from Bill Mueller, Manny Ramirez and Doug Mirabelli and six strong innings from Curt Schilling. But long before the last out, the Red Sox already knew they were headed to Chicago for the first round of the playoffs.
PHOTO: EPA
The White Sox had eliminated Cleveland with a 3-1 victory, wrapping it up during the fifth inning of the game at Fenway. John Henry, the Red Sox's principal owner, watched the end of the Indians game on a small TV from his box seats next to the home dugout. His reaction was the first indication to manager Terry Francona that the Red Sox were in.
"I heard him let out a yelp," Francona said.
That yelp soon spread to become a roar from the crowd. A few moments later, the video board above center field showed live footage of the hand-operated scoreboard in left. When "9" was removed from the square used for innings, the fans knew the Cleveland game had gone final.
Officially -- at last -- the Red Sox would have a chance to defend their World Series title.
"There wasn't a whole lot that was easy this year," Francona said. "We went through so much that sometimes it was so hard just to be good."
The Red Sox lost their closer, Keith Foulke, to a season-ending knee injury. They lost Schilling to ankle problems for months. They let the Yankees run by them in the AL East race down the stretch, losing the division title in a loss here on Saturday, and then watched as the Yankees celebrated at Fenway. A day later, the Champagne flowed for the Red Sox.
Boston finished with the same record as the Yankees (95-67), if not as the titular division champion. And both teams must start their postseason journeys on the road -- the Yankees in Anaheim, California, and the Red Sox in Chicago.
After staging epic seven-game championship series the last two seasons, the Yankees and the Red Sox might rev it up again.
"We're the division champion because we won, 10-9," Torre said, referring to the Yankees' head-to-head record with Boston. "You can't get much more balanced. We have a chance to meet each other again. If that happens, it will be another shootout.
"But we're excited about going to the postseason. We're excited for tomorrow's off-day. We're ready to go, and we hope everything works out for us," he said.
From the time they trailed Boston by four games until their clinching victory Saturday, Torre's team sprinted to a 16-4 record. It was enough to earn Torre his first phone call from George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, in months. Steinbrenner, who has irritated Torre with veiled criticisms this season, called Torre on Saturday night, with the team president, Randy Levine, also on the line.
"Very short," Torre said, describing the conversation. "Just congratulations."
Steinbrenner, who did not mention Torre in his statement after Saturday's victory, might be more effusive if the Yankees get past the Angels, the only team with a winning record against the Yankees during Torre's 10 years as manager. The last time the Yankees played the Angels in the division series, in 2002, the Angels won, three games to one.
"They give a lot of teams fits," Derek Jeter said. "They've got good pitching, they've got speed and they can run; they play defense; they don't beat themselves. Hopefully, we'll play better than them over the next five days."
Jeter insisted he would be in the lineup for Game 1, even after leaving Sunday's game after three innings with a bruised right knee. Jeter sustained the injury while sliding into second as he tried to stretch a single to a double while leading off the game. Ramirez threw him out.
White Sox 3, Indians 1
In Cleveland, the Indians lost for the sixth time in last seven games after winning 17 of 19. Cleveland went 7-for-56 (.125) with runners in scoring position in the final seven games -- five of them one-run losses.
Brandon McCarthy (3-2) took a shutout into the sixth, and Orlando Hernandez worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth and finished for his first save since 2002 with the Yankees.
Angels 7, Rangers 4
In Arlington, Texas, Juan Rivera hit a three-run homer as the Angels won for the 14th time in 16 games and clinched home-field advantage in the opening round.
Ervin Santana (12-8) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, and Francisco Rodriguez got his 45th save.
Orioles 6, Devil Rays 2
In St. Petersburg, Florida, Tampa Bay lost in Lou Piniella's final game as manager.
Bruce Chen (13-10) allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings, and backup catcher Sal Fasano homered for the second consecutive day.
Tampa Bay finished season 67-95, three wins shy of the team record set last year.
Twins 6, Tigers 4
In Minneapolis, Johan Santana (16-7) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings, finishing with a 2.87 ERA, losing the AL title to Cleveland's Kevin Millwood (2.86). Carlos Pena hit a fifth-inning homer of the defending Cy Young Award winner.
Athletics 8, Mariners 3
In Seattle, Eric Chavez hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth off George Sherrill (4-3), and Joe Kennedy (4-5) won for the first time since Aug. 27. Oakland's 88 wins was its lowest total since 1999.
After getting a US Major League Baseball-record 262 hits last year, Ichiro Suzuki had one to finish with a career-low 206.
The Houston Astros clinched the National League wild-card playoff berth on the final day of the Major League Baseball season -- just as they did last year.
Roy Oswalt (20-12) became the first pitcher since 2001-2002 with consecutive 20-win seasons, throwing six innings and driving in a run in Houston's 6-4 victory Sunday over the Chicago Cubs.
The Astros, 15-30 after a loss to the Cubs on May 24, became the first team since the 1914 Boston Braves to make the playoffs after being as many as 15 games under .500.
Houston (89-73) will play Atlanta in a rematch of last year's NL division series, won by the Astros in five games for their first postseason series victory. The Braves were 5-1 against Houston this season, including a four-game sweep in Atlanta, where Game 1 is Wednesday.
By winning their regular-season finale, the Astros avoided a tie with the Phillies for the wild card and a trip to Philadelphia for a one-game tiebreaker.
Phillies 9, Nationals 3
In Washington, Jimmy Rollins stretched his hitting streak to 36 games, Kenny Lofton hit a two-run double and Philadelphia completed a three-game sweep of Washington but still fell a game short of Houston in the wild-card race.
The Phillies finished second in the East Division. They needed an Astros loss to the Cubs to have a chance to force a one-game tiebreaker for the wild card.
Marlins 7, Braves 6, 10 innings
In Miami, 74-year-old Jack McKeon told the Florida Marlins before the game that he was managing them for the last time, then watched his team rally in the ninth inning and beat the playoff-bound Braves in the 10th.
McKeon led the Marlins to the 2003 World Series title and a winning record in each of his three seasons as manager. Marlins veteran Jeff Conine said an emotional McKeon made his announcement in the clubhouse, and the players responded with applause and hugs.
Cardinals 7, Reds 5
In St. Louis, Reggie Sanders warmed up for the postseason with a home run and a double, and St. Louis posted its 100th victory by rallying past Cincinnati in the final regular-season game at Busch Stadium.
The Central Division champion Cardinals will begin the best-of-five playoffs Tuesday at home against West champion San Diego. The Padres won the season series 4-3.
Padres 3, Dodgers 1
In San Diego, Adam Eaton (11-5) struck out a season-high 11 and held Los Angeles to one hit in seven scoreless innings as the Padres beat the Dodgers to finish 82-80 (.506).
Excluding strike-interrupted years, it ties the 1973 New York Mets (82-79) for the fewest wins by a playoff team in MLB history. The Padres also finished with the lowest winning percentage for a division champion in a non-strike year since divisional play began in 1969.
Giants 3, Diamondbacks 1
In San Francisco, Brett Tomko (8-15) pitched a six-hitter, Moises Alou homered and San Francisco snapped a five-game skid with a victory over Arizona.
The Diamondbacks had won seven straight -- the club's best streak since a 12-game run in 2003. They still finished second in the NL West with a 77-85 record under first-year manager Bob Melvin, a drastic improvement from their awful 111-loss season of 2004.
Rockies 11, Mets 3
In New York, Mike Piazza was hitless in what likely was his final home game at Shea Stadium, and Colorado beat New York to avoid a season-ending four-game sweep.
Clint Barmes homered and drove in three runs, and Todd Helton added a two-run shot.
Pirates 3, Brewers 1
In Pittsburgh, Rookie Zach Duke (8-2) won again, pitching Pittsburgh past Milwaukee and leaving the Brewers with an 81-81 record.
The Brewers finished with their first non-losing season since going 92-70 in 1992.
The Pirates went 67-95 for their 13th straight losing season.
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