AMERICAN LEAGUE
Derek Jeter got enough extra free time last autumn to realize he hated it.
With the New York Yankees’ return to the top of the American League standings after one unfamiliar year in the middle, their captain is grateful to know he will be busy into October yet again.
Jeter had never missed the playoffs until last autumn, when New York’s 13-year streak of playoff appearances ended in an expensive flop. A third-place finish in its division was no way to close the final season at old Yankee Stadium, and Jeter is grateful the new stadium will host playoff baseball in its debut year.
“It’s almost like you’re a kid and your parents don’t let you go outside to play,” Jeter said. “You watch everybody outside the window because you’re in trouble. That’s what it felt like. Now we’re off punishment, and you can go back out there.”
New York became the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff appearance on Tuesday, yet the Yankees didn’t exactly celebrate their 14th playoffs trip in 15 years.
“Let’s keep going,” manager Joe Girardi said. “There’s still a lot of baseball to be played.”
New York stayed home last autumn in Girardi’s debut campaign, surpassed by the Boston Red Sox and the surprising AL champion Tampa Bay Rays. Even after a typically profligate offseason spending spree brought C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira to the Bronx, the Yankees’ prospects for a playoff return weren’t exactly rosy this May when they had a 15-17 record.
Yet they took over the AL East division lead more than two months ago, and haven’t let up.
The Yankees won 17 playoff series and four World Series titles in that 13-year span after 1994, but Jeter and his teammates are well aware of the club’s recent failures to do more. New York hasn’t won a championship since 2000 or even a playoff series since the 2004, losing four straight series while archrival Boston won two titles.
With a weekend home series looming against the Red Sox, New York could clinch the AL East title. While the Yankees didn’t celebrate their playoff berth, a few crates of bubbly are likely to be opened if the division title is secured.
On Wednesday, Burnett struck out 11 in just his second win since July as the Yankees won a series at Anaheim for the first time since 2004 with a 3-2 win over the Angels.
Scott Kazmir (9-9) took the loss, while Gary Matthews Jr and Bobby Abreu drove in runs for the Angels.
Also on Wednesday, it was:
• Rangers 9, Athletics 8
• Tigers 11, Indians 3
• Red Sox 9, Royals 2
• Blue Jays 7, Orioles 3
• Rays 5, Mariners 4
• Twins 8, White Sox 6
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, HOUSTON, TEXAS
Bud Norris went six innings in Houston’s 3-0 victory over St Louis on Wednesday to end a nine-game losing streak and deprive the Cardinals of a chance to win the NL Central title.
In other NL games, it was:
• Giants 5, Diamondbacks 2
• Padres 6, Rockies 3
• Brewers 3, Cubs 2
• Marlins 7, Phillies 6
• Nationals 5, Dodgers 4
• Braves 5, Mets 2
• Reds 12, Pirates 2
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